| 24th Annual VIRGINIA CONGRESSIONAL APPRECIATION LUNCHEON, 28 APRIL 2009 |
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| Our Congressional host for the event, Representative Bob Goodlatte, receives letter of appreciation from VCOC President, LTC J. Pat Green. Photo by Steve Barrett, MOAA photographer. |
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| Presentation of VCOC Legislative Award (stamp plaque) for Senator Jim Webb. Accepted by William Edwards (at Left). Also pictured are COL Sam Wilder, VCOC Legislative Chair/Vice President and LTC J. Pat Green, VCOC President (at podium). Photo by Steve Barrett, MOAA photographer. |
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| Senator Mark Warner speaks to Virginia Offiers. Photo by Steve Barrett, MOAA photographer. |
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| Virginia Senator Mark Warner speaks to Virginia Military Officers Association of America leaders at 24th annual Virginia MOAA Congressional Luncheon 28 April 2009. Photo by Maj Frank Duckett, USAF, Ret, VIPMOAA |
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| Admiral Ryan at left and LTC Green at right beside VCOC Minuteman awardee COL Lee Lange, USMC, Ret, MOAA Director of Council & Chapter Affairs. Photo by LTC Paul Mehler, USA, Ret, VCOC 2nd VP |
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Please send a chapter news release, with photo(s) to local civilian and military newspapers, as soon as possible after event.
A chapter news release template was provided prior to the event in the "document library" on this web page (far below). An updated template was posted after the luncheon (immediately following this block), with VCOC blanks filled in. Chapters replace green portions with local chapter info.
On- site VCOC Public Affairs Contact was COL Gary Metzinger, garymetzinger@comcast.net (of VCOC Public Affairs committee & Southside Chapter Legislative). He brought paper copies of the News Release Template to the luncheon and provided the Senator Warner quote.
/ Melva Mallison, MAJ, USAF, Ret, VCOC PAO
(was not able to attend event)
| 130 participants - Room capacity crowd.
24th Annual event.
Virginia Senator Mark Warner attended/spoke.
VCOC legislative award to Senator Jim Webb was accepted on the Senator's behalf by William Edwards.
Leaders from all 16 Virginia chapters of MOAA attended.
All but two Virginia congresspersons (Rick Boucher, District 9 & Bobby Scott, District 3) attended or were represented by staff at the luncheon.
COL Lee Lange, USMC, Ret received VCOC Minuteman Award - presented each year to a National MOAA staff member who most supported Virginia chapters and the VCOC.
CAPT Gary Hall, USN, Ret, received a MOAA award for his multi-year work on the Congressional Luncheon. The award was presented by VADM Ryan, MOAA president and LTC Pat Green, VCOC president.
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News Release Template AFTER Congr Luncheon WITH SENATOR WARNER QUOTE - Word Document |
News Release Template AFTER the Congressional Luncheon - PDF format. You can't change it, but at least you can read it if you cannot read the Word Document. |
News Release Template
CONTACT: CHAPTER MEMBER NAME , RANK, BRANCH OF SERVICE ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED
TITLE OF THAT CONTACT
PHONE NUMBER(S) & EMAIL OF THAT CONTACT
For Immediate Release
Date
VIRGINIA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION MET WITH MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER NAME of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) joined leaders from 16 other chapters and the Virginia Council of Chapters, at a lunch-meeting with Virginia’s Congressional delegation April 28 at Rayburn House Office Building in Washington DC. This 24th Annual Virginia MOAA Congressional Appreciation Luncheon occurred one week after Virginia Council president, LTC J. Pat Green, USA, Retired, stormed the capitol with other state and national MOAA leadership. Green noted both events were excellent opportunities to thank national legislators for past support of our nation’s military and veterans, plus address specific areas of interest/concern for military, retirees, veterans, and their families.
Virginia MOAA’s legislative chair, COL Sam Wilder, USA, Retired, noted “We are advocating for measures to strengthen the all-volunteer force. Specifically, we are asking to increase defense spending percent of GDP, increase the size of our ground forces, prevent the erosion of health benefits, and fully implement the recommendations of the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission.”
Virginia’s 13 congressional members were each invited to attend, dine with constituents, and address the group of officers and widows/widowers of officers. All but Representatives Rick Boucher and Bobby Scott attended and/or sent representatives.
Senator Mark Warner addressed the group of 130. In addition to commenting on MOAA's legislative agenda, Senator Warner spoke of the “Service America Act” which provides citizens an opportunity to work towards improving their communities and teaches all ages the meaning of service to community. Senator Warner also pledged that he is committed to a “better level of service to our military and veterans in Virginia.”
Senator Jim Webb’s legislative assistant, William Edwards accepted an award on behalf of Senator Jim Webb - a personalized stamp plaque in recognition of his support of veterans, including the new GI Bill. Edwards is a 10-year Army veteran who staffs Webb’s work on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and is managing the GI Bill.
Members of Virginia MOAA’s _____________ chapter, _________________________ (names) discussed issues with _____________________ (names of congresspersons). [ALSO Insert a quote or discussion of the interaction here. If your chapter introduced legislators to speak, mention that. You may want to indicate significant veteran legislation mentioned by your Representative(s). Or indicate whether he/she co-sponsors or otherwise supports a particular key bill or bills for Virginia MOAA legislative priorities.]
MOAA, President, VADM Norb Ryan, USN, Ret, and 23 of his MOAA staff from Alexandria attended. He and LTC Green presented an award to CAPT Gary Hall for coordinating the luncheon logistics in Washington DC the last several years.
LTC Green presented a Minuteman Award (statuette) to MOAA staff member, COL Lee Lange, USMC, Ret , in gratitude for his efforts with Year of the Chapter, and thanked MOAA staff for supporting the event.
An independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization, MOAA has approximately 370,000 members of the uniformed services - active duty, former and retired, National Guard and Reserve nationwide and over 49,000 Virginia members. The Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) is an affiliation of MOAA’s 16 Virginia chapters. The VCOC website, VirginiaMOAA.com, includes both national and state legislative sections. Include a closing sentence about your local chapter here.
ATTACHMENTS:
PHOTO OF SENATOR WARNER. Virginia Senator Mark Warner, addressing Virginia Military Officers Association of America Leaders. Credit the photographer of which photo you use.
AND/OR
CHAPTER PHOTO. Use photo pertinent to the newspaper’s area
Give photo caption, including identifying the names, ranks and towns of chapter members pictured.
Identify photographer.
- xxxx -
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| Edwards accepts award on behalf of Senator Jim Webb, from COL Sam Wilder, USA, Ret, VCOC MOAA Vice President/Legislative Chair |
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| at center, CAPT Gary Hall, USN, Ret, receives award from ADM Ryan at Left and LTC Green at right. Photo by LTC Paul Mehler, USA, Ret, VCOC 2nd VP. |
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| Our Congressional Host - Representative Bob Goodlatte. Photo by Steve Barrett, MOAA photographer. |
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| CHAPTER & SPEAKER PHOTOS posted after event |
The photos, below, with the pale blue background, are "thumbnails". If you need particular photos in higher quality, to use in your newsletters, news releases, websites, etc, email your request to VCOC PAO and she will email the photos back to you. Other photos on this page are full size images. The reason for not loading all photos full size is because it could be too large a file for some people's servers causing the page to load very slowly or not at all.
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NATIONAL
MOAA
STAFF
PICTURED
These are also thumbnail images, rather than full-size photos. Images are posted as a slide show.
Captions are still under development.
23 MOAA staff participated.
MOAA provided a tall display (about local chapters) for photo ops.
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VCOC President, LTC J. Pat Green, USA, Ret, and Legislative Chair/Vice President, COL Sam Wilder, USA, Ret, invited Virginia MOAA chapters and Virginia Congressional Delegation to the 24th Annual Virginia Congressional Appreciation Luncheon. Virginia Chapters bring members from each Virginia congressional district and sit/dine with their Representative or Senator (assigned seating). Note, while one chapter provides the introducer for various congresspersons, there are more than one chapter with constituents within some Congressional Districts (such as the 1st), so there may be more than one chapter representated at various tables, or posing for photos with Represenatives. Immediately after each congressperson speaks, there will be a photo opportunity for constituents and the congressperson (except Senators).
NOTIFY VCOC Treasurer, Don Harris, Capt, USA, Vet, of who will attend, including the Congressional District Number (or name of Representative) via the reservation form below. Not later than April 1st. Changes may be made through April 10th as space is available. You may contact Don Harris via email at donmar1831@verizon.net or phone at 804-282-3900
DRESS: Blue Blazer, White Shirt, Red Tie or beads or scarf, MOAA Badge, Name Tag.
BRING A CAMERA. Snap photos to use in local area for news release and in chapter website and newsletters. Be sure to get a group photo of your chapter attendees, and of your local congresspersons attending.
OBTAIN A QUOTE. Make note of a statement made by a representative for your chapter area, concerning a MOAA legislative objective or other military or veterans issue - to use in news release and chapter newsletter. Senators too.
LEGISLATIVE OBJECTIVES (a subset of MOAA's national issues) are addressed in the main National Legislative section of this website. The over-arching priority is STRENGTHEN THE ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE.
DIRECTIONS & PARKING. Take Metro to Capitol South or park at Union Station. (It is a longer walk from Union Station.) Detailed directions were on this webpage prior to the luncheon.
| Arrive 11:00 A.M.
11:30 Doors Open
11:45 Lunch
12:15 Congressional member intros begin
2:00 PM Closing Remarks
$35 for VCOC Members/Chapters
$45 for other attendees
Congresspersons no charge.
Pay with reservation (in advance)
SEND RESERVATION FORMS/CHECKS TO VCOC Treasurer, CPT Don Harris.
Address Box 70100 Richmond VA 23255-0100
PUBLISH NEWS. News Release Template is provided. Add local spin and promote your local chapter's participation. Send to local military and civilian papers. VCOC Public Affairs rep at the event is: COL Gary Metzinger, USAF, Ret of Southside Virginia Chapter (and of the VCOC Public Affairs Committee) email garymetzinger@comcast.net . SOME BLANKS FILLED IN 30 APRIL IN TEXT OF THIS WEB PAGE (not template). Template updated (above) 2 May 2009.
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE (of ISSUE PAPERS) is included in "document library" on this webpage. Pages 2 and 10 are templates for chapters to fill in their own chapter info (areas indicated in red). Package was developed by COL Stu Williams, Legislative Rep of Mount Vernon Chapter (our host chapter for the event).
THANKS TO MOUNT VERNON CHAPTER OF MOAA - OUR HOST CHAPTER. A special thanks to CAPT Gary Hall, USN, Ret who provided overall logistics and capitol coordination for this and many previous congresssional luncheons.
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