May 2008 President’S Message
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA ALAMO CHAPTER THE LARIAT Volume 28, Number 5 1958-2008 Celebrating 50 Years May 2008 President’s Message As I begin my report for the May know by the time you read this re- MOAA has reached out and we as a Lariat, I will mention that the hour is port you will have attended the Fi- Chapter are reaching out. Every ac- about 7:30 p.m., and it has been a long esta picnic they arranged. I know it tive duty officer is being asked to day. To make lemonade out of the will be a fun time and will be en- join MOAA. We are giving them a situation, one can only look out the joyed by all who attend. We will free one year membership to our window and just reflect on how beauti- have another picnic in the fall and a Chapter. We have every confidence ful the day has been and how blessed scholarship meeting in May. Noth- that our Chapter and the National we are. What a beautiful spring we are ing would please us more than to see MOAA is doing what is right for our having and what a great country we more members attend these social military, be they active, Guard, Re- live in. We are so blessed. functions. It takes just as much serve or retired. We just want them work for Mac and his team to put on I just want to start by sincerely to see it in action! And so, if each a program for 60 or 80 people as it thanking the Board of Directors that reader would get one active duty does for 100 or 150 members. provide the oversight and accept the member to join our Chapter or get a Please, if you have ideas on speakers fiduciary responsibilities only a Board retired Officer to join for a two year or how we could improve our pro- of Directors can. In the last year we period at $27 this would be very grams, let us know and we will do have tried to streamline our Board pro- beneficial to them, our Chapter and our best. In response to some sug- ceedings so they can do what they do the National organization. We would gestions, we are moving our pro- best as directors. I would like to men- be so appreciative. As many of you grams around the city and trying to tion them all by name and give them a realize, we have been very active in come to you. We will be having great big thank you for continuing to the last two years bringing in non- some at outside restaurants, e.g. Earl serve their Chapter in this most impor- dues income because it is a constant Abel’s. You can help us grow the tant responsibilities, that of a Board attendance at our meetings by en- Continued on Page 14 member. They are: BGen Robert Her- couraging your fellow members and ring, Colonel Luke Fisher, Colonel guests to attend and by attending George Gagnon, Colonel Ed yourself! McCarthy, LtCol Harry Carpenter, Upcoming Events LTC Jim Finch, LTC John Gibbs, LTC Another area that is very vital to Sumner Hudson, 2nd Lt Naomi Evan- our Chapter is increased member- May 22 gelista, Mrs. Susie Tolman and Colonel ship. Please realize that National MOAA Luncheon Frank Rohrbach, our newest director. BG John C Fobian We thank each one of them for their continuing efforts for our Chapter. Inside This Edition: Gateway Club They are truly great Americans. Lackland AFB Page 2 Chapter News & Notices I would also like to comment about Page 3 Legislative Report our programs. Colonel Mac McDonald Page 4 Membership May 26 and his team of people who put to- Ft Sam Houston Cemetery gether the programs each month do an Page 5 Storming the Hill incredible job, and we need to support Page 9 VA Cover-up Memorial Day the programs by our attendance. I Page 13 Volunteer Vitality Remembrance The Lariat May 2008 Welcome Letters to the Editor New Members! Several weeks ago, as I conte- plated attempting to fill the very large shoes of Cookie Angels Gene Culp as Editor of The Lariat, I thought Colonel Frank Rohrbough about how I might add to a publication that Cookie Angels provide our wounded warriors at the Ft Sam Houston War- Colonel Jackie Van Ovest everyone I talked to feels is pretty darn good as it stands. Gene and Trish and all the folks who rior and Family Support Center with LTC Dorothy Beebe regularly provide articles and submissions to baked goods, fruits and much needed personal articles such as toiletries, Major Carlene Blanding the Lariat have done a magnificent job--few will disagree! Following such a "tough act" phone cards, snacks, books, playing Major Jeffery Sheilds was on my mind as I came across a note I re- cards, games etc.) ceived from a "friend of a friend" on military Many thanks to the following Captain Chris Aker camaraderie and what it means to be part Cookie Angels: Captain Shawn Keller of "the greatest fraternity the world has ever Aina Blake known." The humorous, yet keenly insight- Irene Collier Captain Thomas Salvoie ful perspective regarding differences between Frank and Dolores DeVille Nita Felder 1LT Brandon McCartney our military friends and our civilian friends is one with which I readily identified; and I think Susan Filipini 1LT Tommy Perdue you will, too. I receive emails like this all the Millie & Jack Garrison time, and then the light bulb came on. Barbara Horvath 1LT Kayla Ramotar Sue McCarthy While Ed Marvin, Jim Cunningham and our Mac & Lori McDonald & other regular writers are sharing the business Bo Mills of MOAA, I would like to share thoughts, like Lolly Orlowski the one that follows, in a periodic "Letters to Frank and Helga Parks the Editor" column. If you have a similar per- Jan Rund spective or an idea appropriate for this audi- Helen Schotz ence and you want to share it with our readers, Phyllis Smith Volunteers Needed! feel free to send me an email, Susie Tolman [email protected], and I will include Dot Wise Can you spare some time? them as space permits in this column. Tom and Evelyn Woods MOAA-AC needs you! Please help us make this the best chap- The following was provided by ter ever. Currently we need the Chaplain Eldon Smith: following: Civilian Friends vs… Veteran Friends Legal Counsel Donations Assistant Program Chair Continued on page four Received Historian ROTC Presenters Transportation Coordinator In Memoriam Gardener(s) for Red Cross We received the news that the following mem- Grateful thanks to the following Bldg bers have passed away. We wish to convey our folks who sent in donations for ei- Active Duty Liaison Offi- sincere condolences and best wishes to their ther the Operating Account or the cers family and loved ones: Scholarship Fund (or both!): Please call Dale Vande Hey or Walter Grinfield at the MOAA- Colonel James T. Bull AC office (210) 228-9955. LtCol George Samaras J. Newell The Lariat May 2008 2 LEGISLATIVE REPORT by members of the national Board of Directors and headquarters staff, swarmed Capitol Hill to visit representatives’ and sena- Francis E. “Frank” Parks, MAJ, USA (Ret) tors’ offices to advocate on key MOAA legislative initiatives. Military health care cost shifting was the number one issue. This month I wish to devote a large part of this report to Our own Executive VP, Jim Cunningham, was involved in the issue of Military Health Care and the efforts of the De- partment of Defense to shift the cost thereof to military this effort as the President of the Texas Council. You will beneficiaries. I am sure that most of you have heard about find a detailed report from Jim on page 5 of this issue of the the proposed increases and something about the effect it LARIAT. will have on military beneficiaries. I don’t intend to go over the DoD request in detail, but to give you a source that explains the new rules in more detail than I can. The MOAA has joined forces with the American Medical Association (AMA) in a joint effort to convince Congress to You should all know that the MOAA has made this a change the law that is now scheduled to cut Medicare and primary issue of their legislative program for this year. TRICARE payments to doctors by 10.6% on July 1, 2008. Staff members have already testified before Congressional Col Steve Strobridge (USAF-Ret), MOAA’s Director of Committees. The President of MOAA, VADM Norbert R. Government Relations, spoke at a press conference on the Ryan, Jr. USN (Ret) has written several strong letters re- same day that MOAA and AMA conducted their ‘Storming garding the issue. Three of the letters were written to: Dr. S. Ward Casscells, Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health the Hill’ efforts. AMA president-elect, Dr. Nancy Nielsen, Affairs); David Chu, Under Secretary of Defense also spoke to the crowd that (Personnel and Readiness); and, Sergeant Shaft of the Continued on Page 15 Washington Times. The MOAA has published a pamphlet entitled “Health Care Cost-Shifting to Military Beneficiar- ies” which presents the issue in a clear, concise and easy to read manner. Anyone with internet access can find the pamphlet on the MOAA web site under the Legislative Af- fairs tab. You can also find the above mentioned letters and several “Fact Sheets” written by the MOAA staff.