Recent news from The MOAA Newsletter. View previous editions of Council and Chapter News here.

April 2019  

 

COUNCIL AND CHAPTER AFFAIRS STAFF CHANGES

The team says farewell to Lt. Col. Scott Wadle, USMC (Ret), and welcomes Capt. Erin E. Stone, JAGC, USN (Ret).

Program Director for Council and Chapter Affairs Lt. Col. Scott Wadle, USMC (Ret), recently departed MOAA to pursue new opportunities. He was a great asset to the Council and Chapter Affairs team and will be missed!

Capt. Erin E. Stone, JAGC, USN (Ret), has moved into the program director role. She served on MOAA’s Transition team since January 2018, during which she provided state-level advocacy support to the council and chapter system and nurtured continued growth in the virtual chapter system, among other responsibilities. We welcome her valuable skills and experience to the Council and Chapter Affairs team!

 

NOMINATE YOUR LEGISLATIVE CHAIR/LIAISON

The Colonel Steve Strobridge Legislative Chair/Liaison Award recognizes one MOAA council or chapter legislative chair/liaison who has demonstrated superior service in support of the national and/or state legislative agenda. Download the full award criteria and nomination form. Send questions and submit the completed nomination form and recommendation letter by July 31 to legis@moaa.org.

 

FINAL CALL FOR LEVELS OF EXCELLENCE AWARD SUBMISSIONS

Councils and chapters have until May 1 to enter the Levels of Excellence Award competition.

Councils and chapters that want to be considered for a Levels of Excellence (LOE) Award need to submit a nomination entry by May 1. Please read the LOE Award criteria closely before sending your submission. New this year, to help streamline the submission process, entries will be accepted through an online submission platform.

A standard set of rating criteria will be used to evaluate all councils and chapters that submit a package. The very, very best councils or chapters receive a five-star award, and above-average councils or chapters receive a four-star award.

Find details, best practices, and award criteria.

 

SURVIVING SPOUSE CORNER: WRITING YOUR LIFE STORY

Find a way to create a record of your life so your loved ones can know about and celebrate the road you’ve traveled.

By Micki Vonnegut Costello, Surviving Spouse Advisory Committee member

Often, as we enter the “winter of life,” there is a greater interest in ancestry and finding the “roots” of your family tree. Options abound with available ways to do this. In addition to DNA testing, there are workbooks that contain space for recording musings, drawings, favorite things, places one has been, or dreams of things done or waiting to happen. And with technology, it is even easier to provide a record of a family’s history — and do it earlier in life. 

Members of my family decided to create a written history of our grandparents’ branch of the family tree as a way to honor their remarkable lives and preserve the story for future generations.

The project was divided into sections: The first would be about our grandparents’ lives. The second section about the lives of each of their eight children, written by a member of that family, including childhood memories, relationships, places lived, military service, significant events, and the like. The third section an overview of the individual lives of each of the grandchildren, also written by a member of the family. Plus, space would be provided to include family pictures.

Instructions and a deadline were sent out to each of the family members. All the stories were collated and then put together into a hardcover book, copies of which were distributed at a family reunion. Though the project took several years to complete, everyone in our rather large family agreed the effort was well worth the time invested. It is indeed a gift to be treasured today and handed down to subsequent generations.

 

DON’T FORGET TO NOMINATE YOUR SURVIVING SPOUSE LIAISON

Councils and chapters have until June 1 to submit nominations the 2019 Surviving Spouse Liaison Excellence Award. The award is presented annually to a surviving spouse liaison who is a member of MOAA and who has made outstanding contributions to a MOAA council or chapter in support of surviving spouse members. Download the nomination form and instructions.

 

GET CONTENT FOR CHAPTER NEWSLETTERS

Need some content to supplement your chapter’s newsletter? The White Label Template includes information, articles, and helpful tips from national MOAA that already are formatted for inclusion in your newsletter. The content is updated every month to ensure you are receiving timely, relevant information.   

 

FROM THE FIELD

MOAA chapters give back to their communities through fundraising efforts, community-service projects, scholarship programs, and other initiatives. Here are some recent activities.

• The Cape Cod Chapterdonated $400 to Heroes in Transition (HIT), a local nonprofit that assists veterans and military families with the challenges of transitioning to civilian life. Representatives from the organization attended a chapter meeting and shared personal experiences of those helped by HIT as well as details about the assistance dog program. 
  
  
• The New Jersey Lakes & Pines Chapter honored seven junior officers, nominated by their units, wings, or squadrons. Each nominee received a medallion, a certificate, and membership in MOAA. Since 2010, the chapter selects one Junior Officer of the Year from the nominees. The 2018 Junior Officer of the Year is Navy Chaplain Lt. Kristoffer Alexander. He was recognized with a plaque and a $100 gift card. 
  
  
• The Greater Baton Rouge Area Chapter hosted Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser at its February meeting. Nungesser discussed tourism, economics, and marketing of the state and answered questions from those in attendance. In addition, the chapter presented Nungesser a certificate of appreciation.