FRA’S 2007 LEGIS laT I V E A G E N D A 6 JANUARY 2 0 0 7 18 11 Appointed National Officers Meet FRA’s Parliamentarian and Chaplain 13 OnWatch: MGIB — What’s in it for you? 14 Representative Gene Taylor receives FRA’s Pinnacle award MESOTHELIOM A If you or a loved one has been diagnosed Please contact the law firm of: Bergman & Frockt with, or died from, mesothelioma, we may 614 First Avenue, Fourth Floor Seattle, WA 98104 be able to help get monetary compensation Toll Free: (888) 647-6007 from the asbestos manufacturers. www.bergmanlegal.com No charge for initial consultation. Please ask for Emily Murray. Bergman & Frockt CNR157-02_7.75x10.qxd 11/17/06 5:22 PM Page 1 Spend $10,000.00 or $149.85…Your Choice! Our scientifically impeccable DiamondAura Canary Ring displays the many hues of a radiant sunrise for only a fraction of the cost. s a member of the community of the light, he said the intensity of color is of 5.5 carats. 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Our DiamondAura Canary Promotional Code CNR157-02 Ring has a look that’s sure to turn heads! Please mention this when you call. The ring features an oval-cut canary 14101 Southcross Drive W., DiamondAura set in the center with two Dept. CNR157-02 oval-cut white DiamondAuras on either Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 side, for a total carat weight of over www.stauer.com NES PERSPECTIVE Education is Essential THIS MONTH’S FRA TODAY focuses on NATIONAL OFFICERS/BOARD OF DIRECTORS education — essential to achieving Nat’l President Jerry L. Sweeney, Navy Dept. Branch 181 personal goals, professional devel- Nat’l Vice President Lawrence J. Boudreaux, Hangtown Branch 275 opment, effective communications Nat’l Executive Sec. Joseph L. Barnes, Navy Dept. Branch 181 (including lobbying) and career Finance Officer Paul Rigby JANUARY 2007 JANUARY Y Edgar M. Zerr, Poway Valley Branch 70 Junior PNP A advancement. One education issue addressed REGIONAL PRESIDENTS FRA TOD in FRA’s legislative agenda is ad- equate funding of Impact Aid to New England Paul F. Loveless, Jr., Pine Tree Branch 156 schools educating military children Northeast Francis D. Tyson, Anthracite Branch 288 — a program administered by the East Coast Delbert L. Herrmann, Wilmington Branch 299 Tony Cassata, The Delbert D. Black Branch 117 Department of Education and aug- Southeast North Central Leon J. Zalewski, Milwaukee Branch 14 mented by supplemental funding JOE BARNES South Central Leo V. Vance, Space City Branch 159 for highly impacted schools via the FRA’s National Executive Secretary Southwest Charles F. Smedley, Poway Valley Branch 70 Defense Authorization Act. West Coast Charles R. McIntyre, San Jose Branch 140 FRA also works to increase awareness about the value and impor- Northwest John Ippert, Pearl Harbor-Honolulu Branch 46 tance of the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB) education benefits to enlist- Nat’l. Parliamentarian PNP J.C. Jim Eblen, San Diego Branch 9 ed active duty and Reserve personnel, and the need to benchmark these Nat’l Chaplain Vincent W. Patton, III, Navy Dept. Branch 181 to the average cost of a four-year public college education. Currently full-time active duty benefits are about 75% of this benchmark. To ACTIVE DUTY ADVISORY COUNCIL maximize our effectiveness, FRA is part of the Partnership for Veterans Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe Campa Education, with many of our sister military and veterans organizations Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps John Estrada and seven education associations. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Charles Bowen Another priority is authorizing an enrollment opportunity for Veterans Education Assistance Program (VEAP) era personnel and RESERVE ADVISORY COUNCIL those who declined MGIB in the past, and increase the funding and Force Master Chief of the Naval Reserve David Pennington expand the window for using benefits for Reserve personnel that now USMC Reserve Force Sergeant Major Jimmy D. Cummings expire at the end of their service commitment. Another aspect is juris- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Reserve Force Jeffrey Smith diction over the active duty program under the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Reserve program administered by the Department of Defense. This affects Congressional oversight by separate authorizing and appropriations committees in the House and Senate. FRA TODAY MAGAZINE An important aspect of our advocacy work is educating Members of Congress and staffs on why FRA supports or opposes legislative Publisher FRA Managing Editor Eileen Murphy initiatives. This involves closely tracking the introduction of legisla- Contributing Editor Lauren Armstrong tion, oversight hearings, reviewing transcripts, preparing point papers, Design and Art Direction meetings, correspondence, testimony and submitting statements for FIREBRAND, Alexandria, VA www.firebrandstudios.com the record. The change in leadership of both the House and Senate this Design Director Scott Rodgerson month affords opportunities to educate new members of Congress on Production Manager Sandy Jones FRA’s legislative agenda and advance our priorities for 2007. We begin with letters to newly elected and reelected representatives and senators, and to continuing senators since only one third of that body stands for FRA TODAY (ISSN 0028-1409) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., reelection every two years. AleXandria, VA 22314-2754. A member’S SUbscriptiON is COvered BY the member’S When leaders and members of the various committees and subcom- annUal DUes. PeriOdicals POstaGE paid at AleXandria, VA and additiOnal OFFICES. PUblicatiON OF NON-SPONSORED advertisinG IN FRA TODAY DOES NOT mittees are selected, we will write to key chairmen and ranking mem- CONSTITUTE AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE FRA OR ITS representatives. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: MEMBER Services, FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, bers requesting opportunities to testify on behalf of FRA. VA 22314-2754. FRA TODAY IS PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL CURRENT AND I urge all Shipmates to be familiar with their U.S. Representative and FORMER ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE U.S.