The Fourth of July is a special day for our country, and we as a nation have plenty to celebrate.

Establishing independence required tremendous bravery, selflessness, and determination from countless individuals who banded together in an effort to create a more perfect union. Answering the call to serve and protect that independence requires the same bravery, selflessness, and determination.

While we gather with friends and family to celebrate our nation’s birthday, I encourage all of us to celebrate our association’s accomplishments and the tremendous work we achieve. I often say, while we are an association of officers, we are not an association about officers. This association operates every day with the goal of serving the entire uniformed services community, regardless of rank or branch of service.

Fulfilling this goal is particularly visible each day through the work of our two charities, The MOAA Foundation and the MOAA Scholarship Fund. Both exist as charitable subsidiaries of MOAA to deliver on our promise of  caring for the men, women, and families who serve or have served our country. Personally, I cannot think of anything more patriotic.

The MOAA Foundation recently launched a Crisis Relief program helping 150 individuals and families experiencing a crisis in only our first year. 82% of individuals we served are from the enlisted ranks, and the majority of people we served needed assistance due to a FEMA-related natural disaster. Helping individuals and families who sacrificed for our country during their time of need is a core tenet of what it means to be an officer, and I am proud of the assistance we provide.

The MOAA Scholarship Fund has been a core part of MOAA for 75 years. The program has adapted over the years to meet the changing needs of our community and we’ve  provided financial assistance to over 17,000 students. We all know children of military families face tremendous challenges during their formative years as a result of the military lifestyle. Having the opportunity to help military children achieve their educational goals is just a small way we can thank these students for their sacrifice.

The work of our charities is crucial to the success of our organization. This Independence Day, let us celebrate the spirit of giving that unites us as a community by donating to The MOAA Foundation and/or MOAA Scholarship Fund. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a profound difference. Together, we can honor the sacrifices made by our brave servicemembers and families, while fostering a brighter future for all.

My sincere thanks to those who have already donated. For those of you have not, there are three easy ways you can join me in supporting The MOAA Foundation and MOAA Scholarship Fund this Independence day:

1. Make a secure online donation.
2. Purchase a limited edition "charitee." These shirts are only available for a limited time, and 100% of the proceeds support MOAA Charities.
3. Encourage your friends, families, and those who want to support the military and uniformed services to make a donation.

This Fourth of July, let’s band together once again to help our charities provide the programs and resources our community counts on.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday and thank you for supporting our mission to Never Stop Serving.

Messages From MOAA

Many of you will receive multiple communications from us this Fourth of July covering both our MOAA Charities and our MOAA membership-upgrade drive. It is an important holiday and important season for our association. A vibrant, active membership gives us a louder voice on Capitol Hill along with a stable financial future, while our important charities rely on steady donations to flourish and make a real difference to our uniformed services community. Thank you for your continued support on all fronts.