AN INDEPENDENCE DAY THANK YOU TO OUR WARRIORS

by Fred Edwards

July 3, 2009 — Because only one half of one percent of Americans are fighting the long war against radical Muslims, what can the other 99.5 percent do to help? Case in point is an Army sergeant in fatigues who my friend and colleague, Don Mace, sat next to recently during a flight from Dallas to Sacramento.

Mace, publisher and editor of Fedweek and Armed Forces News, described the sergeant as a “big guy, young, Hispanic/Indian ancestry, from California’s central valley.” He said they conversed during more than three hours during the flight.

The sergeant, an Army scout for the preceding five months in Baghdad, was heading home for R&R. He was due to return to Iraq in two weeks, but with American troops turning the cities over to the Iraqis, by now he could be somewhere other than Baghdad. Here are more of Mace’s comments: (more…)

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IMPORTANCE OF TRIP INSURANCE

No, I am not selling cruises or trip insurance. I’m just passing along some information that I think may be of use to you.

Last October, several of us in the Tucson chapter booked a cruise to Alaska through the MOAA Travel Service. We liked Jon Brenneman’s presentations at various MOAA meetings and we liked his offer to donate $50.00 to our scholarship fund for every cabin booked.

We were set to set sail from San Francisco on June 3, 2009. In setting up the trip, I had not requested trip insurance, but when the paperwork arrived, there it was; $123+change. Oh, well, I thought, maybe this is the way they do it, so I let it go. That turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Jane and I had already done 8 cruises without trip insurance, so we accepted this charge with a ho-hum attitude. (more…)

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THREE GENERATIONS OF SOLDIERS’ VOICES

True stories from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq Veterans.

Free admission. All veterans welcome.

July 11th @ 2:00pm USVAA Theater in Culver City, 10858 Culver Blvd,Culver City

October 29th @ 7:30pm, Loyola Marymount University, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles

November 11th @ 8:00pm, The Actors’Gang Theater 9070 Venice Blvd, Culver City

Reservations/Information, 310-670-0362, jroyer@earthlink.net
Loyola Marymount University/California Council for the Humanities

Submitted By: LTC Tom Lasser, USA (RET)

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SIXTY FIVE YEAR COMMEMORATION EVENT COMING JULY 18, 2009

On the night of 17 July 1944, two transport vessels loading ammunition at the Port Chicago, California naval base were suddenly engulfed in a massive explosion. The blast destroyed everything within a one-mile radius, including the two ships, the pier and the dock. It killed 320 men on the base, and injured nearly 400 more. Also almost completely destroying the town of Port Chicago 1.5 miles away, it was the worst home-front military disaster of World War II.

Now 65 years later, there is a commemoration memorial event at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial 1000 Saturday, July 18. Seating is limited to less than 200 and as of July 1, twenty places remain unreserved. If you are going to attend, call the National Park Service immediately, (925) 228 8860 x 26. Arrive early! Parking will be at the Military Ocean Terminal Concord at the north end of Port Chicago Highway and transportation to the site from the Terminal is by National Park Service mini-bus. (more…)

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MOAA JOINS PRESIDENT OBAMA IN CALL TO SERVICE FOR SUMMER PROJECTS

Dear Council and Chapter Presidents,

As we pause to celebrate the independence of our nation this weekend, I would like to take a moment to let you know about an initiative called United We Serve, just launched here in Washington, and how you can help support it over the summer months.

The MOAA press release below tells you more about MOAA’s role in this effort launched by the White House on Jun 22, 2009, including statements by our president retired Navy VADM Norb Ryan, Jr.

The effort runs from June 22 to September 11, 2009 and for MOAA the focus is on supporting military families. We recognize that a number of our chapters do not meet in the summer months but we are providing this to you for information and for any support you are able to provide. We are also aware of the many activities our chapters already do that are very much in the spirit and intent of this effort. We plan to update the White House on these significant contributions. If you develop new efforts in support of this project, let us know about the outcome. (more…)

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BUILDING CHRISTIAN LEADERS, FAMILIES, FELLOWSHIPS

“And let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

I recently returned from deployment in Iraq. To serve in a time of war is honorable–but it comes with many challenges. One of the challenges I faced was to do good to those around me at all times. During deployment we can become weary of our duties, weary of interacting with the same colleagues day after day, and weary of the monotony no matter how exciting the mission may be.

Spiritual weariness can develop, too. I became weary of going out of my way to assist others and of doing those small things that set lovers of Jesus apart from lovers of self.

This type of attitude is often excused during a deployment. The stresses of war, being apart from family, and the proximity of other temptations, make being a follower of Christ seem more difficult. We can bide our time until we return home. But if that is our attitude, how are we any different from those who are not followers of Christ.

The Lord showed me that amidst the challenges of day-to-day life–which happened to be in a combat zone–doing good would train me to deal with the spiritual battles that exist as part of the Christian walk. These battles comprise the ongoing war that pre-exists any earthly conflicts.

First Lieutenant Heidi Carlson, United States Air Force (more…)

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NATIONAL MOAA WILL INCREASE SUPPORT TO CHAPTERS IN 2009

Col Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret, Director, MOAA Council and Chapter Affairs, briefed the October 2008 Lake Tahoe Western States Chapter Presidents Symposium delegates about the “Year of the Chapter” that spans 2008 and 2009.

In the February 2008 issue of Military Officer magazine, then-Chairman of the Board Gen. Michael P.C. Carns, USAF-Ret, announced MOAA would increase the support it provides to its chapters and councils during the “Year of the Chapter.”

Chapter members provide valuable grassroots support and serve as MOAA’s “ambassadors” at the local level. However, only 70,000 (19 percent) of MOAA’s 370,000 members belong to a local MOAA chapter. During the “Year of the Chapter,” MOAA will work to push more national members to join a local chapter. The national association also will dedicate more resources to help strengthen its chapters and councils.

To achieve these goals, several new membership initiatives will be undertaken during 2008-09. These initiatives include: (more…)

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TRAINING SERVICE DOGS HELPS TO HEAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCARS

A young soldier recovering from a devastating combat injury sat dejected and depressed on the floor against the wall of his Palo Alto-Menlo Park Veterans Medical Center hospital room with his future unclear. The pain, extending well beyond his physical problems, was evident in his eyes.

He was approached by a very beautiful golden retriever dog and it was love at first sight. It was the beginning of a new and very positive chapter in the young man’s life. He was about to be offered a chance to serve other soldiers by training a service dog that will be partnered to assist comrades with physical injuries.

The chapter’s June speaker was Rick Yount, Director, Paws for Purple Hearts Program, a part of Bergin University of Canine Studies, Santa Rosa, California. There are active programs underway at both the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. Yount has been involved with assistance dog training for many years.

The Paws for Purple Hearts program helps heal returning servicemen by teaching those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to train service dogs for veterans with physical disabilities. (more…)

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