Recent news from The MOAA Newsletter. View previous editions of Council and Chapter News here. Send updates about your affiliate’s activities to chapters@moaa.org for possible inclusion in future editions.

Summer Advocacy in Action Starts Soon: Make Your Voice Heard

MOAA’s Summer Advocacy in Action campaign is Aug. 5 to Sept. 6 while lawmakers are back in their home states for a monthlong recess. Join us in support of these important issues:

Targeted pay raise: A boost for junior enlisted personnel has been proposed in Congress, with the House and Senate each offering different numbers. MOAA’s advocacy can make a difference in ensuring a fair pay raise for those most in need.

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): We’ll keep the momentum going on efforts to restore the BAH to 100%.

Supporting Combat-Injured Veterans: While the Major Richard Star Act was not included in the House or Senate drafts of the National Defense Authorization Act, MOAA will continue its work to end the unjust offset faced by tens of thousands of veterans who lose a dollar of DoD-issued retirement pay for every dollar of VA-issued disability compensation.

To do your part to keep efforts rolling before Congress returns from summer recess, you can:

• Go to MOAA’s Legislative Action Center and use it to send a message to your lawmakers.
• Call MOAA’s toll-free hotline at (866) 272-MOAA (6622) to contact your lawmakers and make sure they hear from their constituents. Grassroots advocacy makes an impact, especially during election years. Ask to speak with the congressional staff’s military legislative assistant or legislative director, and schedule a follow-up phone call, if needed, to speak with the appropriate staff member.

Follow our progress at MOAA’s Advocacy News page.

Recruiting Tip: Sharing MOAA’s Message

Recent research suggests the following messaging might resonate with current and prospective members:

• Legislative accomplishments: Try “We fight for you” language paired with examples of proven legislative wins. For a refresher on MOAA’s recent advocacy accomplishments, click here. 
• Benefits for families and spouses: Use language such as “We serve you and your loved ones” and give examples of MOAA membership benefits that impact the entire family. View a breakdown of membership benefits, and learn more about exclusive member discounts.

Find additional recruiting tools and resources.

Surviving Spouse Corner: Who Is Best to Serve as an Executor?

The duties of an executor can be complicated. Learn more about what this role entails.

By Suzanne Walker, staff adviser, Surviving Spouse Advisory Council

One of the many important decisions when making an estate plan is whom to trust to be the executor (of the will) of the deceased’s estate. Usually, the executor is named in the last will and testament and is likely the surviving spouse, adult child, a trusted family member, or a trusted friend. Sometimes the executor is an attorney, bank officer, or other impartial agent.  

The person named for this important role should be asked if they are willing to assume responsibility and if they understand what the duty entails and what they will be responsible for when the time comes. The duty of executor can be a very complicated and time-consuming role, and no one should be “surprised” to learn they are the executor of an estate. The executor has a legal duty to act primarily for the benefit of another with duties involving good faith, trust, special confidence, and candor.

[RELATED: MOAA Members Can Save With Everplans]

Many times, married couples just assume their spouse will be the executor of the estate, and that spouse might have no idea of the complexities and requirements, which can vary from state to state. A person who manages money or property for the deceased must exercise a standard of care as imposed by law or contract with specific responsibilities.

The administration of an estate generally requires a fair amount of time and energy. Often compensation is allowed, and a court or commissioner of accounts must approve the compensation, which is often a percentage of the assets handled.

Some other duties of an executor include:

• Understand the rules of probate (the official proving and recording of the will as the authentic and valid last will and testament of the deceased).
• Know which asset types that do and do not pass through probate. 
• Keep assets under control as a fiduciary, separate from individual, personal and business assets.
• Prepare a complete inventory of all assets in the estate (stocks, bonds, brokerage accounts, bank accounts, life insurance policies, real property, automobiles, and any other assets). Having a complete and accurate inventory of the assets enables the executor to properly manage the estate and satisfy all of the terms of the will.   
• Open a separate fiduciary (estate) bank account at a bank that can provide you with the original canceled checks or statements with images of all canceled checks.
• Take possession of the assets of the deceased and inquire about safe deposit boxes and accounts they may have maintained.
• Make an online search for any unclaimed property in the name of the deceased.
• Close bank accounts and transfer funds in a separate account (create an estate account with a separate tax identification number).
• Follow the disbursements to heirs as instructed in the will.
• Document all transactions and prepare to file income tax.

For more information on all the documents an estate plan might include, download MOAA’s Estate Planning Guide.

Read past Surviving Spouse Corners.

Upcoming Important Events, Dates, and Deadlines

Aug. 1-31: 2024 MOAA online-only election for board candidates, a proposed bylaw amendment, and resolutions

Aug. 5–Sept. 6: MOAA Summer Advocacy in Action

Aug. 14: Virtual Leader Training Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-5p.m. Eastern

Aug. 29: Monthly Chapter Leader Virtual Roundtable on the council/chapter visit program, 7 p.m. Eastern. Join here at the time of the meeting (Meeting ID: 997 0873 8620; Passcode: 363013). Access recordings of previous roundtables.

Nov. 15-16: In-Person Workshop for Western Region Volunteer Leaders, Reno, Nev.

Did You Know?

Member and Chapter Spotlights: For more than four years, MOAA’s Member Spotlight feature has introduced standout members to our national audience, spotlighting individuals and groups whose community involvement has made a difference throughout the country. However you or your fellow members stand out, we want to hear about it. Send your story to editor@moaa.org, and don’t forget to include photos — high-resolution is best, with names and titles of anyone in the picture.

Community Involvement Ideas: If your chapter is looking for new ways to get involvement locally, national MOAA offers ideas to get you started. Find details online.

Travel Program: Affiliates can submit a visit request from national MOAA. Councils are eligible for a visit annually, and chapters are eligible every two to three years. During this visit, we send a speaker from national MOAA to present a briefing with real-time organizational updates to your members. To request a visit, please complete the form at this link. If you have any questions or concerns, email chapters@moaa.org.

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.

Members of the General Omar N. Bradley Mid-Missouri Chapter participated in a community wreath-laying ceremony in Moberly commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June. During the ceremony, veterans — all members of the chapter — from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force spoke about the importance of each branch in D-Day operations. Each veteran laid a wreath representing their branch and made remarks. Read more.

The Minnesota Chapter hosted at a July 9 chapter event Gen. Joseph Votel, USA (Ret), former CENTCOM commander and former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. Votel spoke to about 75 chapter members and took questions about the current state of American defense.

Members and friends of the Mid-Hudson (N.Y.) Chapter and Capital District (N.Y.) Chapter recently took a tour of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y.  The Hall of Honor displays and describes the journey and history of U.S. armed forces servicemembers who have been awarded the Purple Heart.

National MOAA Travel Schedule

Here are the councils and chapters MOAA leaders will be visiting over the next few months.

Contact the associated chapter if you would like to attend any of the following scheduled visits:

• Aug. 3, New Hampshire Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), Council and Chapter Affairs (CCA)
• Aug. 4, Mount Rainier (Wash.) Chapter, Dena Kilgore, CCA
• Aug. 5, Iowa Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Aug. 9, Lincolnland (Ill.) Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Aug. 16, Northwest Arkansas Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Aug. 18, Ohio Western Reserve Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Aug. 21, Conejo-Simi Valley (Calif.) Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Aug. 22, Pensacola (Fla.) Chapter, Gen. Gary L. North, USAF (Ret), MOAA chairman of the board
• Aug. 24, Contra Costa (Calif.) Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Aug. 27, West Alabama Chapter, Dena Kilgore, CCA
• Sept. 5, Greater Birmingham (Ala.) Chapter, Col. Theodore J. Janosko, USA (Ret), MOAA board of directors
• Sept. 5, Central PA Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Sept. 5, Northwest Florida Chapter, Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), MOAA president and CEO
• Sept. 13, George C. Marshall (Va.) Chapter, speaker TBD
• Sept. 15-16, New York State Council of Chapters Annual Convention, Maj. Gen. April Vogel, USAF (Ret), vice president, MOAA Government Relations, and Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Sept. 16, Valley-Ridge (Calif.) Chapter, Maj. Sharron A. Mackey, USAF (Ret), MOAA board of directors
• Sept. 17, West Georgia Chapter, Dena Kilgore, CCA
• Sept. 18, MOAA Uniformed Services Nurse Advocates Virtual Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Sept. 18, Northeast Florida Chapter, Capt. Jim Carman, USN (Ret), Vice President, Council/Chapter and Member Support
• Sept. 18, Ancient City (Fla.) Chapter, Capt. Jim Carman, USN (Ret), Vice President, Council/Chapter and Member Support
• Sept. 19, Catawba Valley (N.C.) Chapter, Dena Kilgore, CCA
• Sept. 21, Fort Campbell (Ky.) Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Sept. 23, Upper Cumberland (Tenn.) Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Sept. 23, Suncoast (Fla.) Chapter, Lt. Col. Marc Oliveri, USA (Ret), MOAA board of directors
• Sept. 25, Clearwater (Fla.) Chapter, Capt. Frank Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• Sept. 26, Lehigh Valley (Pa.) Chapter, Col. Charles W. Anderson, USMC (Ret), MOAA board of directors