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Vol. 29 No. 1 WEBSITE http://www.moaa-hawaii.org January 2014
Coming Events February
1 Feb (Sat) The Users Group (TUG) 1000 OVC
20 Feb (Thu) Aloha - Hawaii State Chapters Lunch
1100 Venue TBD Speaker - Honorable Edward H. Kubo Jr.,
First Circuit Court -Veterans’ Treatment Court
21 Feb (Fri) EXCOM Mtg 1130 MCBH O’Club
Hui O Na Koa
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!
Coming Events January
4 Jan (Sat) The Users Group (TUG) 1000 OVC
13 Jan (Mon) PAC Meeting 1100 Seven Palms Grille
17 Jan (Fri) EXCOM Mtg 1130 MCBH O’Club
24 Jan (Fri) Aloha - Hawaii State Chapters Luncheon
1100 Hale Ikena - Ft. Shafter
Speaker - USAA representative Joe Zettlemoyer
The Chapter Board of Di-
rectors elected a cross sec-
tion of the membership at
its October meeting to run
the Chapter for the next
two years. We start the
New Year with two famil-
iar faces and one new one at the helm: President Mark Torre-
ano, Air Force, 1st Vice President Ralph Hiatt, Army and 2nd
Vice President Toni McCracken, Navy.
Besides running the Chapter, Mark currently has two additional
jobs as Treasurer and Membership Chair. Ralph will continue
to run the ROTC/JROTC awards and scholarship program
which according to many is the best run program in the coun-
try. As 2nd VP Toni is also the Programs Chair and is coordi-
nating her planning with Jayne Henley-Davis who does the Na
Wahine Koa programs for the Chapter.
CDR Antoinette McCracken spent her 22 year career as a des-
ignated Naval Flight Officer. Her assignments included E-6A
Airborne Communications Officer Instructor, Navigator In-
structor, Mission Commander, Fleet Air Reconnaissance
Squadron THREE, Tinker AFB, OK. She served aboard two
carriers, Kennedy and Vinson; attended Army Command and
General Staff College and was Executive Officer Naval Sup-
port Activity, Gaeta, Italy. She holds degrees in Economics
(BA), Administration (MA) and Emergency and Disaster Man-
agement (MS) and is currently pursuing a Masters in Education
at HPU. Toni is a welcomed addition to the Chapter.
MOAA recently
announced the
2013 Chapter
“Level of Excel-
lence” Awards
and your Chapter
received the
award at the Five Star level. This
accomplishment was on Darrell
Large’s watch during the 2012
calendar year. As President he
and his team deserve all the credit.
During his tenure membership in-
creased by over 100. Addition-
ally, Darrell represented the Chap-
ter at many events that year in-
cluding his love for marching as
Uncle Sam in parades.
The Award, a special streamer,
will be added to the Chapter’s
Colors. The newly awarded logo
is at the top left of this page.
We thank Mark Torreano for pull-
ing together all the data to support
this award.
Chapter Officers Represent Three Services Five Star Award to
Chapter
Page 2 January 2014 Newsletter of Hawaii State Chapter MOAA
President’s Message
Colonel Mark Torreano USAF (Ret)
Aloha Kakou,
As we enter 2014, I hope your holidays were fun and restful. The Executive Committee is
busy planning for another vibrant and exciting year for the Hawaii State Chapter. Start the
year right by joining us on 24 January at Ft Shafter's Hale Ikena to greet your fellow mem-
bers in the New Year, enjoy lunch and hear a presentation from USAA; see P. 7 for the sign up form.
2013 ended on a high note, as 75 of us from both the Hawaii State and Aloha Chapters enjoyed an out-
standing Christmas dinner and musical performance on 14 December at the Hickam Officers' Club. Jack Miller did a great job organizing the event and then at the last minute could not attend due to a nasty cold, so Jack Bohman of the
Aloha Chapter stepped up and flawlessly MC'd the event. The piano music by Rene Paulo set just the right tone for
our table conversation, and the vocals provided by his daughter and grandson were outstanding. Jack Bohman chose
several Christmas carols for all of us to join in singing; especially memorable was the animated version of the 12
Days of Christmas Hawaiian Style!
Finally, a short reminder that one of the primary purposes served by MOAA and our many chapters is to ac-tively advocate for and support federal, state and local legislation that furthers our national defense and defends pay
and benefits for our military members, retirees and veterans. As the President and Congress return to Washington to
tackle the many budget, deficit and spending authority issues, please make a personal resolution to stay abreast of the
issues on the MOAA website at http://www.moaa.org/Main_Menu/Take_Action/Take_Action.html and then fre-
quently let your Senators and Congressmen know of your support for or concerns about their positions. Email or
telephone contact is best and is provided on page 7.
And don't forget to write a letter to the editor now and then! Star Advertiser: mailto:[email protected]
Cheers, Mark
Membership Application--New or Renewal (Please print legibly)
Aloha, it is my pleasure to welcome new members to our chapter. You will soon receive your welcome packet, including an
invite to our New Member Breakfast. Please contact Mark Torreano at 343-4877 or
[email protected] with any questions.
NOTE: If you want to pay by credit card, go to our website at www.moaa-hawaii.org and click on “Join Today” to fill out the
form and make payment.
Date ___/___/___ New Member _____ Renewal _____ (name & changes only)
Name: ___________________________________ DOB ___/___/___ Rank______Service __________
(Last (1st) (MI)
Status: Active____ Ret.____ Former____ Reserve______ Guard ______ Widow/Widower ____
Street Address: ______________________________City ______________ State____ Zip_________
Phone ________________ E-mail__________________________Spouse’s Name_________________
Chapter Sponsor: (if applicable) _________________________________
REGULAR MEMBER: 1 year $25 ___ 5 years $100 ___ 90 yrs+ Free___ Active Duty Free___
AUXILIARY MEMBER: 1 year $ 20___ 5 years $75___ 90 yrs+ Free___
New Members: Dues are complimentary for the remainder of the year joining. Dues collected are for the following year.
PAYMENT: Donations to support our JROTC scholarship program and community service donations are encouraged.
Dues $ ______ Donation $ _______ Total Remittance $________
Mail check to Hawaii State Chapter MOAA, PO Box 31282, Honolulu, HI 96820
Newsletter of Hawaii State Chapter MOAA January 2014 Page 3
Volume 29, No. 1 Hui O Na Koa Published monthly by: Hawaii State Chapter, MOAA
PO Box 31282 Honolulu, Hawaii 96820
Subscription included in annual chapter dues.
Opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily
Hawaii State Chapter policy.
Elected Officers
President
Col Mark Torreano USAF
343-4877
1st Vice President
COL Ralph JWK Hiatt USA
383-1010
2nd Vice President
CDR Antoinette McCracken
USN
255-1518
Secretary
Lt Col Bruce Altenhof USAF
277-3932
Treasurer (acting)
Col Mark Torreano USAF
343-4877
Appointed Officers
Accountant
LTC Richard DeLong USA
486-0439
Auxiliary Liaison
Jayne Henley-Davis
263-4248
Veterans Affairs
CAPT George Sullivan USN
623-2243
Legislative Affairs
LtCol Tom Smyth USMC
531-2829
Co-Chairs Personal Affairs
Lt Col Lou Crompton USAF
526-3022
LTC Darrell Large USA
395-6825
Chaplain
Capt Bob Walden, USAF
348-4868
Chair Programs
CDR Antoinette McCracken
USN
255-1518
Chair Membership
(acting)
Col Mark Torreano USAF
343-4877
Public Affairs
VACANT
ROTC Scholarships
COL Ralph JWK Hiatt USA
383-1010
Community Services
Kathy Delong
486-0439
Editor Hui O Na Koa
CAPT George Sullivan USN
623-2243
Webmaster
Bob Ranaldo
203-510-6279
Database Manager
Maj George Montague USAF
239-4222
TUG
Col Lou Torraca USAF
254-3286
Sergeant –at– Arms
VACANT
Directory Editor
LT Jim Fromm USCG
677-7469
Directory Business Manager
VACANT
TAPS
Ramona Robertson, wife of Lt Col Spotswood Robertson,
died Christmas morning. She was well known among Ha-
waii Marines at Camp Smith as Secretary to CG FMFPAC.
Binnacle List
Gayle Gardner is battling prostate cancer.
Ray and Bee Robinson remain in Assisted Living
section, Hawaii Kai Retirement Community.
- - CHAPTER SOCIAL EVENTS - -
January
Friday 24 Jan 1100 Aloha Chapter - Hawaii State Chapter Luncheon
Hale Ikena - Ft. Shafter
USAA Military Affairs Representative for Hawaii and
Guam, CSM(R) Joseph Zettlemoyer, will explain the USAA/
MOAA Affinity Association.
February
Thursday 20 Jan 1100
Aloha Chapter - Hawaii State Chapter Luncheon
Venue TBD Speaker: Honorable Edward H. Kubo Jr., First Circuit Court -
Veterans’ Treatment Court
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman Emeritus:
RADM C. Bruce Smith, USN (Ret)
Chairman, CAPT George Sullivan, USN (Ret) 2013-2015
COL Ralph JWK Hiatt, USA (Ret), 2012-2014
Trish Kubach, 2012-2014
LCDR Tom Marzec, USN (Ret), 2012-2014
Helen Peil Baker, 2013-2015
LtCol Tom Smyth, USMC (Ret) 2013-2015
Col Jim Gebhard, USAF (Ret) 2014-2016
LTC Matt McCarville USA (Ret), 2014-2016
CAPT John Peters, USN (Ret), 2014-2016
Col Mark Torreano, USAF (Ret) President
LTC Darrell Large, USA (Ret) Past President
Executive Committee
The Trivia Question
January is the start of sales of Girl Scout cookies. They are
the #1 cookie brand in the US thru March annually [Oreos
are bestsellers in the rest of the year]. GSA has been selling
cookies for so many years... so what did they sell in 1942?
(See answer on Page 4)
Page 4 January 2014 Newsletter of Hawaii State Chapter MOAA
Dear Na Wahine Koa ......
2014 is upon us and we have an opportunity to gather prior to the January 24th luncheon at the Hale
Ikena. Some members have asked me whatever happened to our coffee hours before the MOAA
luncheons? Well, we were trying to appease everyone and decided to change the venue. We now have a chance
to get together for coffee one hour before the MOAA Luncheon at 11am. Those of you who are able to join us
please let me know at least by the 15th of January. All Auxiliary members from both MOAA Chapters are wel-
come....if you have left over holiday guests, bring them too. Call 263-4248.
P.S. The trip to the Hydroponic Farm is still in the planning stages, weather permitting.
Aloha for now.......Jayne
Auxiliary Corner by Jayne Henley-Davis
On the TV I have heard a lot about a
couple of things in the last few days
which I want to comment on: First is
there a war on Christmas and secondly, what color is
Santa or Christ?
First is there a war on Christmas? Of course
there is! There has been ever since the Wise men told
Herod about the birth of Jesus. Herod tried to wipe out
Christmas before it could even get started by killing off
all the young boys in Bethlehem but it did not work be-
cause God warned Joseph and Mary about it and they
left before Herod could carry it out. But getting on to
more modern times, atheists of course would like to
wipe out not only Christmas but Christianity as well
because they do not want others to have more hope
than they do. Of course, it is helpful for us who are
Christians to remember that Christmas quite literally
means Christ’s Mass. Then there are those who say that
we should not even be celebrating Jesus’ birth because
we really don’t know when He was born. It is true that
we do not know exactly when He was born. The date to
celebrate was determined early on by those who rea-
soned that He must have been born near the winter sol-
stice because that is when the days stop getting shorter
and start to get longer, thus since Christ was the Light
coming into the world, He must have been born when
more light begins to come into the world. Some have
said that they do not want to mention Jesus because it
may offend people of other religions. Of course when
they do not mention Jesus, it offends Christians. They
seem to be unable to comprehend this although some
businesses have found this out and reversed their stands
on Christ because it effected their bottom line. We as
Christians need to remember that Christmas is all about
the Good News of Jesus coming into the world and the
Love which He brought with Him, the Love of God for
us, all of us! Following Jesus’ example, we are to even
love all around us, and perhaps even more, to love
those who do not love us. So, we have already won the
war on Christmas but there are still a lot out there who
do not or will not believe that. Peace and love are much
stronger than hate and violence.
Now a few words about the color of Santa and
Jesus. Yes, they are both white,.... and black and yellow
and brown and…. They are whatever color and ethnic
group where they are. When I was in Japan, I bought a
Crèche set in which all of the figures were Japanese.
Even Jesus looked like a Japanese baby and Joseph was
dressed as a Samurai warrior, but without the sword of
course. And, the local Santas in Japan were for the
most part, skinny! Santa and Jesus are both part of the
culture they are in and reflect it. Each culture sees them
through their eyes and colors them accordingly. In closing, my prayer for each of you is that you had a
wonderful Christmas and that you look forward to a
grand and glorious New Year filled with God’s Bless-
ings.
Trivia Answer - In 1942, Girl Scouts sold CALENDARS in lieu of cookies due to sugar, flour and butter short-
ages. Bonus trivia - the mango cremes have the most fat and calories... that's why I go for the thin mints. Lou Crompton
The Chaplain’s Corner by The Rev. Robert E. Walden
Chaplain
Newsletter of Hawaii State Chapter MOAA January 2014 Page 5
2013 CHAPTER DONATIONS TOTAL GOAL IS $7,000 Received to date $8,341.00 (Scholarships & Community Service)
DIAMOND CONTRIBUTORS ($1,000 or MORE)
Clara Cook, Phillip Heyenga
PLATINUM CONTRIBUTORS ($500 to $1,000)
David and Mary Jo Brostrom in memory of LT Jonathan Brostrom
Leah Rowland in memory of CAPT Bill Rowland
Myrl Noggle, Bruce Smith
GOLD CONTRIBUTORS ($100 TO $499)
Al Avery, Curtis Barnette, Linda Chang, Laudra Eber, Virginia Frizzelle, Jim Gebhard, Ralph Hiatt,
Ed Keough, Darrell Large, Betty Lenhart, Owen Macy, Allen Miller, Jack Miller, Billy Ogan,
Paul Schmitz, Tom Smyth, John Stewart, George and Roberta Sullivan, Mark Torreano, Tom Wilson
SILVER CONTRIBUTORS ($50 TO $99)
Bruce Altenhof, Jim Brown, Mary Ceccarelli, Jiun-Rong Chiou, Mayfield Drorbaugh, Regina Foster,
Ellen McGarry, Constance McQuillan, Bill Nations, Gary Veblen, Bob Walden
BRONZE CONTRIBUTORS ($25 TO $49)
Robert Cyboron, Jay Dunn, Brian Fagan, Tom Fagan, Tom Fargo, Jim Fromm,
Verne Moore, Michael Olson, Suzanne Schneiderman
If you donated in any of these categories and your name is not present call Mark Torreano at 343-4877.
The Hawaii State Chapter moved to a calendar year annual membership cycle last year, so an-
nual dues are now payable at the beginning of the calendar year.
Please fill in the Membership Form on page 2 of this newsletter or on the website at http://
www.moaa-hawaii.org/formtools/Membership_ApplicationV3_web.htm and submit a renewal
application with your payment--annual dues are still $25, or 5 years for $100.
If you have any questions about your membership status, please email George Montague at
[email protected] or call him at (808) 239-4222.
We certainly hope you will choose to renew your membership. If you have any concerns or is-
sues you would like to discuss, please call Mark Torreano, President, at (808) 343-4877.
Honolulu Marathon
We are happy to report two chapter members, Mark Torreano and Lou Crompton, finished the 26.2 mile Hono-
lulu Marathon on 8 December and are NOT on the binnacle list. BZ men!
Calling ALL Annual Members--It's Time to Renew Your Membership
Page 6 January 2014 Newsletter of Hawaii State Chapter MOAA
TUG by Colonel Lou Torraca USAF (Ret)
Anyone know where 2013 went? Here it is 2014 already and it’s time for The International CES. For first-time readers of my column, here is a short excerpt from the CES press release: “CES showcases more than 3,200 exhibitors, including manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and more; a conference program with more than 300 sessions; and more than 152,000 attendees from more than 150 countries. And because it is owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the technology trade association representing the $203 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry, it at-tracts the world’s business leaders and pioneering thinkers to a forum where the industry’s most relevant issues are addressed” A feature of the show I always look forward to is the CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards annual competition honoring out-standing design and engineering in consumer electronics products. Following are some of the products selected as best in their catego-ries (there are more than 2 dozen categories), along with a short summary of each provided by the judges. Checklight by Reebok and MC10 is a sports impact indicator designed for athletes of all ages and skill-levels. Multiple motion sensors embedded into a skullcap provide actionable impact data to help assess an athlete before continuing to play. Hydrogen Reactor by BruntonThe Brunton Hydrogen Reactor™ is a high-science portable power device that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity on-the-go. Using rechargeable hydrogen power it gives users the unique opportunity to stay charged without ever plugging in. This high-science device combines hydrogen an oxygen to produce electricity on-the-move and under any condition. Simply lock the Hydrogen Core fuel into the Hydrogen Reactor™ to power USB devices like smartphones, tablet computers, UV water purifiers, rechargeable lights, portable game consoles, GPS transceivers and more.
Personal Sound with LINX® FUSION by Able Planet, Inc The first multi-sensory ANC headphone to fuse patented LINX AUDIO with ViviTouch
EAP to simultaneously transmit sound through the skin, bone and ear to enhance comprehension in noisy environments and to address specific
tonal sensitivities.
AppRadio 3 (SPH-DA210) by Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
AppRadio 3 smartphone connected in-dash receiver with iOS, Android and MirrorLink Connectivity features 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, Siri
Eyes Free and Google Voice Recognition, Bluetooth audio streaming, and a built-in DVD/CD mechanism.
EyeMobile by Tobii Technology
EyeMobile is a lightweight accessory that enables eye control capabilities on Windows 8 tablets. EyeMobile provides individuals with mobility chal-
lenges with a hands-free way to enjoy full tablet computer functionality.
VAIO | Flip PC by Sony ElectronicsChange your view of what a computer can do with this innovative design that instantly goes from laptop, to
tablet, to viewer mode with a simple flip. Packed with the best of Sony, it features a Full HD touchscreen with TRILUMINOS Display for Mobile,
Clear Audio+ and even Exmor camera technology. With the powerful Intel® Gen 4 processors and an optional fast SSD drive, there’s even more to
flip for.
I expect to see these and lots more during the show, so stay tuned for new consumer electronic innovations.
Aloha, Lou
Newsletter of Hawaii State Chapter MOAA January 2014 Page 7
Aloha - Hawaii State Chapters
Luncheon Buffet HALE IKENA OFFICER’S CLUB, FORT SHAFTER
Friday, January 24, 2014 Check-in at 1100 LUNCH at 1130 FOLLOWED BY GUEST SPEAKER
Joseph Zettlemoyer - USAA Military Affairs Representative for Hawaii and Guam
Distinguished Guest - VADM John Bird USN (Ret.) Senior VP Military Affairs, USAA
COME AND ENJOY! COST: $20.00 PER PERSON QUESTIONS --- CONTACT: Toni McCracken [email protected] or 255-1518
CLIP AND MAIL IN YOUR RESERVATION SLIP BELOW BY JANUARY 19TH
NAME TAG(S) TO Read:________________________________________________
LUNCH(ES) ____at $20.00 ea $_______
MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: ALOHA CHAPTER – MOAA & SEND TO: P.O. Box 201441 Honolulu, HI 96820-1356
Add these to your bookmarks and contacts for fast and easy use.
Senator Brian Schatz: http://www.schatz.senate.gov/contact
Telephone: (808) 523-2061 or (202) 224-3934
Senator Maizie Hirono: http://www.hirono.senate.gov/contact
Telephone: (808 522-8970 or (202) 224-6361
Representative Colleen Hanabusa (Congressional District 1): https://hanabusa.house.gov/contact-me
Telephone: (808) 541-2570 or (202) 225-2726
Representative Tulsi Gabbard (Congressional District 2): https://hanabusa.house.gov/contact-me Telephone: (808) 541-1986 or (202) 225-4906
COLA
In the Budget Act recently signed by the President, COLA for Military retirees under 62 will be cut by 1% start-
ing January 2016. At age 62, full COLAs would be restored and annuities reset to levels retirees would have seen
at that age had full COLAs been in effect since retirement. Impacted retirees, however, would never get back
money lost annually before 62 under the CPI-minus-one-percent formula.
Efforts are in works to amend the Act so it excludes those medically retired and their survivors from the COLA
caps "well before" they are to take effect.
Contact Information for Legislators
AKO Transition News The Army is extending the deadline for retirees and family
members to access their AKO email account to 31 January
2014. Previously, this deadline was 31 December 2013.
Secretary of the Army John McHugh signed a memo in April
2013 to begin transitioning Army Knowledge Online to next-
generation enterprise services and to meet increased security
requirements.
The Army transitioned its 1.4 million official business users
to DoD Enterprise E-mail (DEE) and will no longer sustain
legacy AKO infrastructure.
Army retirees and family members need to transition from
AKO email to commercially available personal email ac-
counts. AKO recently enabled these users to forward AKO
email to a commercial address.
After access to AKO email ends, the Army will close all re-
tiree and family member AKO email accounts and delete all
stored email. AKO will continue to forward e-mail until 31
December 2014 for those users who enable this function.
To ensure continued email service, and for additional infor-
mation retirees and family members should visit AKO's Mi-
gration Page for Retirees and Family Members at or the pub-
lic AKO Transition site at http://www.eis.army.mil/ako.
Hawaii State Chapter, MOAA
P.O. Box 31282
Honolulu, Hawaii 96820
Return Service Requested
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 702
Honolulu
Hawaii
UP-COMING CHAPTER ACTIVITY: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luncheon Friday, January 24 1100
Hale Ikena - Ft. Shafter
Speaker
USAA representative Joe Zettlemoyer
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Chapters’ Christmas
December 7
