| June 2008 Council Crier - Electronic (eCrier) |
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eCRIER
Electronic Version Quarterly Newsletter of the
Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC)
of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
Contents listed on Page 1
| Paper Version mailed June 16 2008
Editor MAJ Melva Mallison, VCOC PAO
melvamaj@cox.net
Published quarterly in March, June, September and December.
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President's Message
On the 16th of April the VCOC again had a great luncheon with our Congressional Delegation in Washington D.C. It was the 23rd Virginia Congressional Luncheon. The Pledge was lead by Col Sam Wilder and Invocation was given by LTC Blair Smith. VADM Norb Ryan welcomed everyone to Washington D.C. and had all of the MOAA Headquarters Persons stand and be recognized. VADM Ryan spoke on how the MOAA is working hard to make life better for Armed Forces Members. He said we have gotten many of the items we wanted passed but there are many more to work on. VADM Norb Ryan received the VCOC Minuteman Award at the luncheon this year.
A few of the Congressional persons spoke and then we served lunch. After lunch more spoke . Senator Warner was great in his address. I invited him to return to any of our future Congressional Luncheons . Senator Warner is retiring this year. Chris Davis spoke for Representative Boucher. Tracey Johnson spoke for Representative Canter. Senator Webb could not attend but he sent Paul Reagan to speak for him. The speakers were introduced by many of our own members. All in all, the luncheon was a success. Thank all of you for helping.
There are a few members that deserve a special thanks : Gary Hall, Sam Wilder, The Host Chapter (Mount Vernon), Don Harris and Jim Brown. Did you use the news release provided by Melva Mallison? See photos on page 7.
The next VCOC meeting will be in July at Charlottesville, Virginia. For information, please refer to VCOC Website and this newsletter. Link to meeting portion of website is: http://www.virginiamoaa.com/meetingsquarterlyvcoc/july2008vcocmeeting.html
/ LTC J. Pat Green, USA, Ret, VCOC President
| CONTENTS
PAGE 1: President Column
PAGE 2: VCOC Contacts, Schedule, Newsletters, Web
PAGE 3: July 11th VCOC Meeting
PAGE 4: Press Release Tips & LOGO Info
PAGE 5: Legislative NATIONAL
PAGE 6-7: Photos, Washington DC
PAGE 8: Legislative STATE
PAGE 9: Raising Funds - War Memorial & Wounded Warrior
PAGE 10: Membership - Chapter & Give Me Ten
PAGE 11: Auxiliary, Treasurer, Scholarships, Secretary
PAGE 12: Back Cover for Mailing & Tidewater Memorial Wreath Photos
INSERTS:
Touching the Future - The Scholarship Fund
Examples of A) Chapter Scholarship Program B) Chapter Community Event
News Published Locally by Virginia Chapters
Press about MOAA storming Capitol - VCOC involvement
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Newsletter pages are available at the end of this webpage, as individual Documents. Chapters are welcome to tailor portions of the Crier and use them in their own newsletters. You also may request PDF pages. Contact the Editor.
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| MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
_ Draft State Legislative Priorities for 2009
_ Receive 2007 Communication Awards
__ Hear MOAA Plans for Helping With Chapter Recruiting as part of the YEAR OF THE CHAPTER - From COL Lee Lange, Director, MOAA Council & Chapter Affairs.
__ VOTE whether to request MOAA donate to Virginia War Memorial, instead of hosting Give Me Ten 2008 Dinner for VCOC.
JULY MEETING HOSTED BY
CENTRAL VIRGINIA CHAPTER
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BEGIN PAGE 4 - Press Release & Logo
CHAPTER PRESS RELEASES
Prepare a release for every chapter event. Send to every newspaper (military and civilian), radio station, TV station, or other news outlet within the boundaries of your chapter. Send directly to a specific reporter if possible.
TIPS:
__ Use Email for Release (Not attached document)
__ Include Your Contact Info.
__ Use Double or 1.5 spacing.
__ Use Journalistic Style. Most important part (lead) in first paragraph.
__ Send Photos in JPEG
__ Do not be discouraged if a release is not published - Keep Trying.
See Complete story in paper newsletter or the page 4, Word Document, at the end of this webpage.
Tips are provided by LTC Jim Delaney, USA, Ret, President Shenandoah Valley Chapter. LTC DeLaney is a retired Army Public Affairs Officer, currently serving as Director of Communications for Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock Virginia. He has a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
LOGO
When using the MOAA logo, be sure to use the latest version. The shield has an "R" at the bottom, not "TM" MOAA logos and masthead are easy to obtain on MOAA website, at this link http://www.moaa.org/multimedia/multimedia_logos.htm
/Maj Mallison, VCOC PAO
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BEGIN PAGE 5
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - NATIONAL
MOAA Storming of Capitol Hill 2 April 2008:
Maj. Melva Mallison and I represented the VCOC at the annual “Storming of the Hill” in Washington DC and also attended a three day seminar for Council Presidents. We talked with several legislators of the Virginia delegation as well as their staffers. Primarily we lobbied for them to sign up as co-sponsors for:
a) The joint resolutions to keep the defense budget at least 4% of the GDP for the foreseeable future, b) Oppose TRICARE fee increases,c) Eliminate SBP- DI C offset, and d) Close the military pay gap.
We also discussed our VCOC National Objectives and reminded Virginia Senators and Representatives about the 16 April luncheon. See MOAA video at MOAA website link :http://www.moaa.org/2008stormingthehill/
See Virginia Photos on page 6 of this Council Crier as well as on VCOC Website.
Virginia Congressional Luncheon 16 April 2008:
It was very fortunate that the Congressional luncheon followed the MOAA “Storming of the Hill”. This gave us an excellent opportunity to follow up on the points being made to our legislators or their staffers on 2 April. Only, this time it was by constituents, which gave it added weight. There was a good turnout of congressmen and MOAA members from all over the state. Overall, it was a very successful luncheon.
See photos on page 7 of this Council Crier and on VCOC website (Legislative National Section - 2008 Congressional Luncheon).
/ COL Sam Wilder, USA, Ret, VCOC 1st Vice President
and Legislative Chair
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Meeting with Congressman Eric Cantor:
Members of the Richmond Chapter met with Cong. Cantor, who is the Chief Deputy Whip for the Republicans in the House. Some points of interest concerning the meeting:
- He agreed to co-sponsor every bill that MOAA is supporting. Previously he had not been signed up for any.
- He agreed with all of our major points in our VCOC National Objectives paper.
- He assured us that Congress would not let Medicare payments to providers get cut.
- As noted above, he was very supportive of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Mental Health program.
- He also urged us to continue to push for state legislation that is recommended by DOD because those issues have a very positive, if indirect, effect on our Armed Forces.
/ COL Sam Wilder, USA, Ret, VCOC 1st Vice President & Legislative Chair
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Congressman Goodlatte,
Honorary member of the George C. Marshall Chapter of MOAA, Congressman Bob Goodlatte was guest speaker at the 8 April 2008 chapter meeting held in the BASE-X facility in Fairfield, just outside Lexington. BASE-X is a major manufacturer of rapid-deploying mobile infrastructure for the U.S. Military.
See tent photos at www.base-x.com. See photo of MG Thomas Tait, President GCMC MOAA with Congressman Goodlatte and Brian Dearing of Base-X/Hunter Defense Technologies in paper newsletter (or Enews Word page).
/ George C. Marshall Chapter of MOAA
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BEGIN PAGE 6
WASHINGTON DC PHOTOS
MOAA CAPITOL STORMING & COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S SYMPOSIUM APRIL 1ST - 3RD
Thumbnail photos at right.
See also MOAA website for video, photos and write up. http/www..moaa.org//2008stormingthehill/
COL Warren Lacy, USA, Ret, MOAA Magazine Editor in Chief, gave tips for publishing photos in MOAA magazine:
ACTION SHOTS ARE BEST - not too posed.
SHOW MOAA MATERIALS.
USE CORRECT DISTANCE FOR FLASH.
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BEGIN PAGE 7
Photos of 23rd Annual Virginia MOAA Congressional Appreciation Luncheon
16 April 2008, in the Russell Senate Caucus Room,
Washington DC.
Use this Link.
http://www.virginiamoaa.com/nationallegislative/2008congressionallunch.html
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BEGIN PAGE 8
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - STATE
We had a very good year!
Considering that state revenue projections fell more than a Billion dollars from the earlier predictions, veterans/military issues fared very well indeed in the 2008 General Assembly. I noticed a marked improvement this year in the overall attitude towards veterans by members of the General Assembly. We have built a lot of good will. Delegates and Senators are sympathetic to our issues.
Virginia Wounded Warrior Mental Health Care:
The passage of this program was perhaps our most significant accomplishment. It passed the General Assembly unanimously and was funded at $4.5 million for the biennium. It will go into effect 1 July 2008. Right now recruiting is taking place for the team in Department Veteran Services (DVS) that will execute the program and fund raising efforts to raise private funds are also underway. Also, we have made initial contacts to attempt to secure additional federal funding in the form of earmarks or grants.
Legislation was passed that gave the Veterans Service Foundation its top priority for fund raising to support the Wounded Warrior program. Also, the size of the foundation was doubled with emphasis to appoint board members with private fund raising experience.
At Congressman Eric Cantor’s suggestion, we are also working with MOAA and DVS to possibly make this a national “pilot project”, which if successful could be emulated by other states.
See next page for info on receptions to garner funds and support, coordinated by Joan Washburn of the VCOC Legislative Committee.
| Virginia War Memorial Education Center:
This effort was also a huge success. The state will provide $5.97 million upon certification by the Governor, or his designee, tht $2 million in private funds has been raised. So, the effort by the War Memorial Foundation to raise the $2 million continues. I understand that over $1 million has been raised so far. See Page 9 for results of VCOC's fund raising assistance.
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| LTC James Delaney, USA, Ret with Virginia State Senator Jill Vogel at Shenandoah Valley Chapter Meeting |
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Other JLC Objectives:
Legislation was passed protecting the custodial rights of deploying soldiers with respect to their children. The proposal for tax relief for 100% disabled veterans was carried over to 2009. Also, the bill to provide tax relief for citizen soldiers deploying outside of the United States was carried over to 2009. The effort to allow service members to establish a credit freeze while deployed to deter identity theft was passed for all Virginia residents; however, it will be at a cost of $10 for each action with each credit company.
Priority Objectives for 2009
To Be Addressed at- July 11 VCOC Meeting:
The VCOC legislative committee has begun work on objectives for 2009. At the meeting on 11 July, the legislative committee will propose legislative priorities to submit to the Joint Leadership Council of Veteran Services Organizations (JLC). The JLC will decide on the priority legislative objectives for 2009 at its meeting on 13 August 2008. Consideration will be given to developing priority objectives from: a) Objectives that were carried over to 2009, b) Objectives proposed by DOD that require the states to enact, and finally c) Objectives from all other sources.
JLC = Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Services Organizations. website: http://www.dvs.virginia.gov/jlc.htm
/ Sam Wilder, COL, USA, Ret, VCOC 1st Vice President & Legislative Chair
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BEGIN PAGE 9
FUNDRAISING – Critical Resources
Virginia War Memorial Education Initiative
VCOC MOAA donated $1,000. 11 chapters donated $6,517. Individuals donated $7,762
TOTAL: $15,279
The Virginia War Memorial Education Foundation (VWMEF) is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt foundation - gifts are tax deductible. Be sure to annotate donations with “MOAA”. WEBSITE www.vawarmemorial.org
/COL Don Kaiserman, USA, Ret, VCOC Alternate JLC Rep
Virginia Wounded Warrior Mental Health Care Receptions - Raising Funds & Awareness
A Lexington highlight was the address from Gregory B. Saathoff, M.D., a former Army Psychiatrist who served in the Persian Gulf War and now presides on the Medical Staff at UVA as Executive Director of the CRITICAL INCIDENT ANALYSIS GROUP. Dr Saathoff is an expert on Post Traumatic Stress and Brain Injury.
Distinguished guests included the former Secretary of the Army, John O. Marsh, Superintendent, General Binford Peay and seven other Generals, Commissioner Vince Burgess, Chairman of the Veteran Services Board - Commander Paul Galanti, State Senator John Edwards, member of the Veteran Services Board, Delegate Ben Cline who represents Lexington, and Major General John Knapp, the Mayor of Lexington.
RECEPTIONS SCHEDULED:
June 11 (Salem)
June 17 (Norfolk – Nauticus)
July 28 (Tyson’s Corner).
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BEGIN PAGE 10
Membership - CHAPTER
Summer Recruiting Tips: Set up eye-catching info tables, with handouts, at each Military Retiree Appreciation Day (RAD) in your area, as well as military concerts and other events this summer.
More tips are in March 2008 edition of The Council Crier (Page 9).
Southside Chapter (SSVC) Success with Inexpensive Post Cards. Just three weeks after mailing 250 post cards, SSVC MOAA had ten new members and 20 renewals for delinquent chapter dues. Post cards were developed on 8 x 10 card stock (2 per page), using “publisher” software, and bulk-mailed at 15 cents each. There was an additional cost of 50 cents for each card returned for no forwarding address. The cards were printed on yellow card stock and labeled at a local handicap workshop for only $35. The MOAA prospect list was used for addresses, after being culled down. Cards were sent only to retirees and auxiliary, as the recidivism rate on active duty has been low and the incidence of addresses changes high. The chapter is mailing a few hundred at a time, to cut down on the administrative burden. For more info, contact SSVC MOAA President, COL Victoria Revilla, USA, Ret. (804) 586-5742 Email Victoria.revilla@us.army.mil
Chapter Members Now Receive 10% Discount on MOAA Life Membership and the chapter receives Give Me Ten credit. This new offering rewards chapter membership, as part of MOAA’s Year of the Chapter.
MOAA Magazine Will Help With Chapter Recruiting. The MOAA magazine coversheet/postcards are planned to begin in November as part of MOAA Year of the Chapter. Hear more at July 11th VCOC meeting, from COL Lee Lange, USMC,Ret. Director of MOAA Council and Chapter Affairs Department.
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Membership – MOAA, GIVE ME TEN
Gold Bar Effort is off to a spectacular start.
Here are the results as of 15 May 2008:
Central VA Chapter - Univ of VA (estimate) 14
George Marshall - VMI/ Wash-Lee 128
Hampton Roads - ODU Navy ROTC Consortium 31
Northern VA - George Mason U 9
Piedmont - VA NG OCS (Ft Pickett) 5
Richmond Chapter - University of Richmond 10
Southside - Virginia State 15
SouthWest VA Chapter - VA Tech and Radford U 86
Grand Total 298
CAPT Jim Jones, USN, Ret, board member of Hampton Roads Chapter, presented gold bars at a formal dinner dance held at Webb Center ODU cmapus, 24 April 2008. Navy ROTC students dipped their gold bars in the Seven Seas, during the ceremony. Each of the 31 honorees were presented with gold bars and a letter from the HRCMOAA Pesident, LTC Jim Dellaripa, USAF, Ret, and certificate for a free year of MOAA membership.
National Guard Conference in Fredericksburg
Thanks to COL Don Kaiserman of Richmond, 3 VCOC chapters participated in the VA National Guard Conference
April 25 & 26. Other chapters were invited but did not attend. The following Give Me Ten results were obtained:
Richmond: 15, Heritage: 5, Northern VA: 4, Total: 24
COL Kaiserman noted the Virginia National Guard personnel remarked how pleased they were with MOAA support during deployment, Virginia MOAA legislative efforts and successes at state and national levels. He also said MOAA supported efforts at the conference with signs, publications and a raffle award (iPod).
VCOC Won 1st Quarter Regional Give Me Ten
VCOC was awarded $250 for being the top Council in the North Eastern Region of MOAA for the 1st Quarter of 2008. VCOC Chapters recruited more than 150 MOAA members for the Quarter under the Give Me Ten program. Under current rules, no Council can win the event for consecutive quarters. However, VCOC will again be eligible during the 3rd Quarter.
Over 600 MOAA Members Recruited By Virginia Chapters as of June 9th
The VCOC total is about 40% of the MOAA total. We have our ten chapters already over the 10 mark, which meets the 75% chapter requirement for the MOAA Dinner. Hopefully, we can forego the dinner and have MOAA contribute the dinner funds to the VA War Memorial.
/LTC Paul Mehler, VCOC 2nd VP and Membership Chair
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BEGIN PAGE 11
Auxiliary Power
GIFTS FOR TROOPS
The “Gifts from the Homefront” certificate, redeemable at any BX/PX can be sent to deployed troops by logging on to http://www.aafes.org or calling 1-877-770-4438. For a flat shipping and handling charge of $4.95, you can send as much as you want to any service member.
You can send the gift of food to a military family through the Defense Commissary Agency’s (DeCA) “Gift of Groceries” program. “CertifiChecks,” can be purchased at your commissary for a $1 service charge. The gift certificates are good at any of 258 DeCA commissaries worldwide and can be given directly to a service member or donated to a military non-profit organization that assists Military Families in need. You may also purchase the certificate on website http://www.commissaries.com or calling 1-877-770-4438.
APPRECIATING SPOUSES
May 9 was MOAA Spouse Day. I hope you saw the coverage in the May 2008 Military Officer Magazine, which was devoted to the military spouse, auxiliary, Life Members and others. Kudos to MOAA editors for recognizing these important members. Many thanks to MOAA lobbyists for their hard work on our behalf!
/Jackie Peters, VCOC Auxiliary Liaison
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VCOC TREASURER'$ REPORT
Will be provided at 11 July Meeting.
| SCHOLARSHIPS:
On the MOAA.org wesite you will find info about scholarships under the "About Us" section. This includes donating to MOAA scholarships, applying for scholarships and how to develop chapter scholarships. See the insert in this Crier for more about MOAA scholarships and an example of a chapter scholarship managed by the chapter (Southisde Virginia) rather than by MOAA.
/ MAJ Mallison, VCOC 3rd VP
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SECRETARY MUSINGS
VCOC DIRECTORY is used by many on a daily basis and is key to effective communications among the VCOC Leadership and member Chapters. Please review your personal data and the data for your Chapter to insure accuracy. Corrections should be sent to VCOC Secretary.
JULY MEETING. The Central Virginia Chapter has made the location and food service arrangements, however the meeting will be like most all other VCOC meeting with the meeting fee being collected by the VCOC at the meeting site. The fee for this meeting is $20.00 per person. The Glenmore Country Club is in a “GATED” community and your name will have to be on a list at the gate for you to get to the meeting site. THUS, VCOC Officer and Chapter representative MUST report their planned attendance on or before 3 July 2008. Last minute additions can be made, but lets try to keeps these to a minimum.
A LARGE PACKAGE OF INFO will be mailed to each VCOC elected and appointed Officer and each designated Chapter representative. The package will include 1) Minutes of the 14 March VCOC meeting 2) Copy of 1st Quarter reports received from Chapters with a summary sheet 3) Listing of the VCOC Chapter Presidents and Chapter representatives 4) Written directions and a sketch map to the Glenmore Country Club 5) Zip code Summary Report showing the zip codes for the geographical area of each VCOC Chapter and the many Virginia zipcodes with no MOAA Chapter assignment.
Chapter Representatives must insure this information gets to their Chapter leadership.
/ COL Jim Brown, USA, Ret, VCOC Secretary
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BEGIN PAGE 12
The Hampton Roads Chapter of MOAA (HRCMOAA) participated in the Annual Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony a tthe Tidewater Veterans Memorial in Virginia Beach on 26 May 2008. Master of ceremonies was COL Floyd Gilbert, USA, Ret, a member of the chapter and the Mayor's Veteran's Committee. The Honorable Meyera Oberndorf, Mayor of Virginia Beach gave the opening remarks. The keynote address was given by The Honorable Owen Pickett, former 2nd Congressional District Representative. The HRC MOAA wreath was laid by, COL James Smith, USA, Ret, CAPT Jim Jones, USN, Ret and LTC Jim Dellaripa, USAF, Ret. LTC Dellaripa is president of HRCMOAA.
/ CDR John Vermillion, USN, Ret, VCOC Public Affairs Committee
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| INDIVIDUAL PAGES - WORD DOCUMENTS - in color |
TWO MORE INSERTS - NOT WORD DOCUMENTS:
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