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

August 2019  

Near-Real-Time Recruiting Lists Now Available

Near-real-time notification of potential new recruits in your chapter’s catchment area went live Aug. 1. The report can be accessed on the Committee Module and will contain names and contact information of changes (new MOAA members, MOAA members who moved into your area, and MOAA members who have opted in to chapter communications) in the previous calendar month. The report should be checked monthly, as it will refresh on the first of each month. Learn more with this webinar, and share the link: http://www.moaa.org/module-nrt.

Participate in MOAA’s Summer Storm Campaign

During August recess, engage your elected officials on two key issues affecting the military community.

Each August, legislators return to their home districts and meet with constituents. This is an ideal time to coordinate efforts and engage legislators on key issues. Council and chapter members can get involved by participating in MOAA’s 2019 Summer Storm — a campaign for the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Two pressing topics — the widows tax and medical billet reductions — are represented in the House draft of the NDAA. Visit, write to, email, and call your elected officials to ensure the NDAA maintains the language supporting repeal of the widows tax and the call on DoD to halt medical billet reductions until the impacts are properly analyzed and shared with Congress.

Visit www.moaa.org/summerstorm on or after July 29 to find information about the Summer Storm topics.

Second-Quarter Recruiting Winners

June 30 marked the end of the second quarter of the 2019 Chapter Recruiting Program competition.

Congratulations to our 2019 chapter recruiting program second quarter (closing out June 30) award winners! During this period, we have recruited 537 new monetary-incentive-qualified chapter members.

A $250 incentive is awarded to the top council in each region whose chapters recruit 40 or more new qualified chapter members, and the top independent geographic and virtual chapter that recruit at least 10 new qualified chapter members earn a $100 incentive to help recognize and support their recruiting efforts.

Second quarter 2019 chapter recruiting program council winner:

• Florida Council — 71

Second quarter independent chapter winners:

• Minnesota Chapter — 23
• MOAA Uniformed Services Nurse Advocates Virtual Chapter — 25

As a reminder, the next competition for councils and independent chapters already is underway as of July 1 and will close Sept. 30. To help you track the progress of your recruiting efforts, we will continue to post a weekly 2019 chapter recruiting update to our website. View chapter-recruiting resources, sign up new chapter members, and check out your results via the chapter-recruiting tracker at www.moaa.org/chapterrecruiting.

Surviving Spouse Corner: Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter

Members of MOAA’s Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter meet quarterly via teleconference to share information and ideas.

By Micki Costello, Surviving Spouse Advisory Committee

MOAA’s Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter is an affinity group whose members can share information and ideas in a virtual environment with others seeking to work together adjusting to a new “normal.” 

The Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter meets quarterly through a teleconference.  Eventually, we hope to have all 50 states represented in our membership. There are no dues, and this chapter is intended to be an enhancement to, not take the place of, geographic chapters. Several weeks in advance of each meeting, an email is sent to members alerting them to the date and time of the gathering; a follow-on email with instructions for joining the free telephone conference is sent several days prior to each meeting. The call is kept to about one hour, and topics for discussion have included SBP-DIC offset updates, financial discussions, and information from MOAA national as well as other items of interest. Plans currently are underway for a cruise in fall 2020.

We recognize everyone has busy lives; therefore, members participate to the extent they are able. While the chapter is geared toward surviving spouses and surviving spouse liaisons, any MOAA spouse is welcome for membership. MOAA’s mantra “Never Stop Serving” is espoused to make a difference locally, statewide, and nationally.

For additional information or to join MOAA’s Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter, email mssvc02@gmail.com. An online application also is available.

Get Newsletter Content From National MOAA

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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 West Central (Fla.) Chapter recognized local Junior ROTC (JROTC) cadets at a ceremony this spring. Chapter President Maj. Carol A. Burgess, USA (Ret), presented Cadets Promise Nelson and Angelina Tedemonti of Hernando High School each a $500 scholarship during the high school’s annual JROTC awards ceremony. In addition, Cadet Tiana Hardy received the MOAA medal and certificate for exceptional potential for military leadership.

• The Maryland Council of Chapters presented the Maryland National Guard Unit of the Year Award to the Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) Team, 629th Military Intelligence Battalion (Expeditionary) July 14 during a unit event in Laurel, Md. The team made history during 2018 by being the first reserve-component PED team called to active duty to support forward combat operations. The PED team provided geospatial aerial intelligence analysis to all the forces operating under Operation Freedom Sentinel.

• The North DFW (Texas) Chapter recognized local Junior ROTC (JROTC) and ROTC cadets with awards and scholarships. The chapter presented the MOAA award/medal to 10 JROTC programs in Denton County and to the Air Force ROTC unit at the University of North Texas. The chapter also awarded one $1,500 and two $1,000 scholarships to graduating JROTC cadets.

• Members of the Redwood Empire (Calif.) Chapter participated in several local Memorial Day observances. Maj. Diego Espinosa, USA (Ret), chapter first vice president, presented the wreath at the Santa Rosa Memorial Avenue of the Flags event, which several other chapter members attended. Members also attended events in Petaluma and Marin, and Chapter President Lt. William P. Matz, USN (Ret), and several other chapter members attended the Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance.

• The Northeastern Wisconsin Chapter presented the MOAA ROTC Medal to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Junior Class Cadet Melissa George for her performance and her strong potential for future achievement. The chapter also gave George a check for $100 in recognition of her excellence.