Vol. XXXVII No. 2 MOAA FIVE STAR AWARD 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 March/April 2012

Schedule of Events

Visit our website at: www.kosmoaa.org

KOS Luncheon MeetingDr. Lofgren – Speaker12:00 P.M., at Ocala Elks

1 –MARCH MAYAPRIL

KOS Board Meeting12:30 P.M., at Ocala Elks

13 – KOS Board Meeting12:30 P.M., at Ocala Elks

8 –

KOS Luncheon at Stumpknockers11:30 A.M., Cocktails

5 –

CPT John Rose, USA (Ret.), President, 2011-12, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAALet’s Keep the Momentum Going!

KOS Dinner MeetingWestern Hoe Down6:00 P.M., at Ocala Elks

3 –

Don’t forget to pay your Kingdom of the Sun chapter dues. Regular members pay $20 per year and auxiliary members pay $10. Although you may be a lifetime MOAA member, you still need to pay your chapter dues.

And while you are writing that check, don’t forget to support our Scholarship Fund. All checks should be made to KOS/MOAA and mailed to .Linda Byrd, Treasurer, 8894 D, SW 91st St., Ocala, FL 34481-7401.

We are on our way to another great year for our Chapter. Our

Chapter does well because of its members, Officers and the Board. Arlo Janssen continues his hard work on programs for us. The first of its kind “Town Hall Meeting” moderated by Jim Chandler provided the members a chance to give their ideas on how we can become even better. The Ladies continue to provide new ideas and we appreciate their warm welcome at each function. Bob Buerger is making sure that the schools provide candidates for ROTC/JROTC awards. Bud Horne is working membership which is the future of our Chapter. Linda Byrd is overseeing our Scholarship program. Chaplain Alan Heneisen is ministering to our members. Larry Fagan is out there learning more about the details of our organization and possible ways to assist in membership. Phil Johnson is our point man on the ever changing Legislative issues. Tilford Smith is leading the way in providing us

with a first class website and newsletter. He received MOAA Awards for his outstanding work at our last meeting. There isn’t enough space to mention and thank each and every one of you that is working hard for our Chapter – Thank you all!

Over the past several years the main concern is our aging membership. We all need to take the lead and find new members in our community. We all must know someone who is eligible, a neighbor, a person in the news, a family member and so on. We need to let them know what MOAA does, asked them to join, sign them up and bring them to our meetings. Getting new members is a job for all of us and there is no “silver bullet” solution. We are not alone in this membership challenge as most organizations are experiencing the same thing.

We need your help in providing veterans for “Veterans In The Classroom,” attendance at meetings, and support of other programs in our community.

KOS Board Meeting12:30 P.M., at Ocala Elks

10 –

Our advertisers help us make the “Sunbeams” possible and if we need a service they provide please support them. As we make purchases we should be supporting businesses that are veteran friendly and try our best to buy American.

Thank you again for your confidence and support and please continue to provide your knowledge and opinions to us so that together we can continue the great work of our Chapter.You can read the results of the Town Hall meeting on our website under “Member Information.” – Editor

SUNBEAMS PAGE 2 March/April 2012

Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAAPO Box 114, Ocala, Florida 34478-0114

SUNBEAMS is published bimonthly for the information of the members of Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Chapter, an affiliate of The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of either organization.

SUNBEAMS is printed by the Concord Press of Ocala, Florida. KOS is a nonprofit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April 1976. It is not associated with the Department of Defense. It is mailed as Third Class bulk mail at the U.S. Post Office, Ocala, Florida under Permit #122.

Editor:COL Tilford Smith (Army), 342-9847Legislation & Assistant Editor:LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403Publisher:Kingdom of the Sun Chapter of MOAAChapter Officers:PRESIDENT: CPT John Rose, (Army)307-61301st V.P.: CAPT Henry L. “Larry” Fagan, (Navy)236-41732nd V.P.: LTC Arlo Janssen, (Army)237-9720SECRETARY: Mrs. Betty Hayes, Auxiliary 622-7813TREASURER: Mrs. Linda Byrd, Auxiliary509-4317

Directors:COL Tilford Smith (Army), 342-9847LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403CDR Robert Buerger (Navy), 368-6752MAJ Alan Heneisen, CHC (Army), 680-0747Maj Floyd “Bud” Horne (Air Force) 307-3234Mrs. Bonnie Morris, Auxiliary, 622-8331

Immediate Past PresidentCDR James T. “Jim” Chandler (Navy)237-3139

Meetings:The Kingdom of the Sun Chapter (MOAA),

meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month. Dates, times and occasions are announced in advance in the SUNBEAMS.

Members are encouraged to attend and guests are always welcome. Meetings are usually suspended during the summer months of July and August. The KOS Board currently meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 P.M. at the Ocala Elks Club. Officers and Board Members are required to attend.

Visit our website at: www.kosmoaa.org

LtCol Sharon Murry, Chairman, KOS LadiesKOS — The Distaff Side

The “Wear What you Love Fashion Show” was great fun. There IS such a thing as a free lunch! Four were awarded as prizes for the best outfits at the Fashion Show. Linda Byrd wore two different party dresses she wears for dance exhibitions. She waltzed in with her partner Dennis and won the prize for the Prettiest outfit. Dan Hayes who claims Donald Duck is his hero wore his Duck shirt with a Tyrolean hat and won the prize for Funniest outfit. Bonnie Morris who wore her favorite muumuu with pearls was judged Most Original. Naida Rasbury resurrected a beautiful white suit from the back of her closet and earned the Judge’s Choice award. There were many outfits that told us what the wearers liked to do. The Pulvers strolled in wearing matching square dance outfits. Tina Fagan wore tennis sweats with a sequin-trimmed backpack complete with tennis racket. Larry Fagan, who raises and preserves over 40 kinds of peppers, wore his straw hat and red suspenders. He also brought a jar of hot, hot preserved peppers and jalapenos that he shared with those of us who were brave enough to try them. Bill Murry wore his khaki shorts and gray Army T-shirt, one of eight outfits he has that are exactly the same. Christine Heagy came in the uniform of the Francis Marion Military Academy cadre where she is teaching young people our military values. There isn’t room to tell about everyone’s great outfits, but we all enjoyed seeing each other.

Sandy Deffler completed our program by singing for us and allowing us to sing along. You missed a good meeting, if you couldn’t come.

Ladies, we need suggestions for the next distaff-produced program. We have done several fashion shows, each more creative than the last. In 2012-2013, let’s do something different that is just as much fun. If you have an idea for an entertaining program, call me at 352-347-8760 or contact me at sharonmurry@comcast.net. We won’t make you chair a program just because you suggested it, but we’ll probably ask you to help. Hugs.

Sharon Murry

The Current Information Regarding DD-214.

It’s official; DD-214’s are NOW On-line.The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following web site for veterans to gain access to their DD-214’s on-line: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/.

This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employment purposes. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the on-line web site. Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center mail room and processing time.

SUNBEAMS PAGE 3 March/April 2012

Each year the Chapter participates in MOAA’s JROTC Awards Program. The award,

based on academic standing and “exceptional potential for military leadership”, consists of a medal, ribbon and certificate. The JROTC Unit Officer in charge is invited to submit his/her selection for the recipient. The following local high school units participate:• Belleview (Air Force)• Dunnellon (Air Force)

JROTC AWARDS PROGRAM• Forrest (Air Force)• Francis Marion Military Academy (Army)• Lake Weir (Army)• North Marion (Air Force)• Vanguard (Navy)• Westport (Army)

If you would like to represent the Chapter and your service by presenting the award call or e-mail CDR Bob Buerger @ 368-6752 or bobb43023@al.com.

Are You Aware of EMP?

In 1962 the U. S. performed a high-altitude nuclear test 898 miles from Hawaii (Starfish

Prime in Operation Fishbowl). In Honolulu, streetlights were blown and microwave telephone links to the other islands were shut down. CAPT Marshall A. Hanson, USNR (Ret.), uses this example to start off his explanation of possible electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warfare in his article “Acting on Impulse” in the Jan-Feb issue of The Officer.

The Soviets also performed high-altitude EMP tests over Kazakhstan in the early 1960s, but theirs caused much more damage, including setting fire to a power plant. EMP data was shared between the two powers in 1995, which shows a significant level of concern in defense quarters.

The Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage (SHIELD) Act, H.R. 668, seeks to secure the U.S. electrical grid to allow for continued food production as well as sewer, water, and electrical utilities from the threat of EMP. However, the bill languishes in committee.

The SHIELD Act would empower the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (FERC) to work with industry and others to strengthen our national grid from EMP threats. It is estimated that the cost of doing so would add only about 20 cents to the average taxpayer’s electric bill for a period of three years.

Both China and Iran have published military articles about the effectiveness of an EMP attack. And on May 2, 1999, the chairman of a Russian delegation told a U.S. Representative “If we really wanted to hurt you with no fear of retaliation, we would launch an SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) and detonate a single nuclear warhead at high altitude over the United States and shut down your power grid and communications for six months or so.”

In addition to CAPT Hanson’s concerns, I would add the possibility of the loss of all unprotected computer chips from an EMP event. Think of what that would do. For example, all modern automobiles and refrigerators function through computer chips. We’d be back to WWII style living. Oh well, just another thing to worry about, I guess.

By CDR Jim Chandler, USNR (Ret.)

SUNBEAMS PAGE 4 March/April 2012

Wall (Continued on page 5)

• The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.• 12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.• 5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.• One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old • 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam.• 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam.• 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.• Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.• 54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia. I wonder why so many from one school.• 8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.• 244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.• Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.• West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation.• There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall. • The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest. And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci’s mining families, the nine

“Carved on these walls is the story of America, of a continuing quest to preserve both Democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American dream.” ~ President George Bush SOMETHING to think about - Most of the surviving Parents are now Deceased. There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010. The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties. Beginning at the apex on panel 1E and going out to the end of the East wall, appearing to recede into the earth (numbered 70E - May 25, 1968), then resuming at the end of the West wall, as the wall emerges from the earth (numbered 70W - continuing May 25, 1968) and ending with a date in 1975. Thus the war’s beginning and end meet. The war is complete, coming full circle, yet broken by the earth that bounds the angle’s open side and contained within the earth itself. The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.• There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.• 39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.• 8,283 were just 19 years old.

Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall

By LTC Ken McIntyre, USA (Ret)

2012 CONVENTIONThe Florida Council of Chapters annual convention for this year will be held at West Palm Beach, hosted by the Palm Beach/Martin County Chapter on May 18 - 20. Information and registration form can be found at moaafl.com, then click on the “convention” link. For “no computer” attendees, CDR Buerger (368-6752) has some “snail mail” forms.

STUMPKNOCKERSRestaurant

Featuring Our FamousALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Catfish

Casual Dining on the Scenic Withlacoochee

Fresh Grouper, Snapper, Shrimp, Scallops, Oysters, Crab Legs, Frog Legs, New York Strip, Ribeye, Grilled Chicken Breast

Full Liquor Bar

Highway 200, at the Withlacoochee River in Dunnellon

Phone 854-2288

SUNBEAMS PAGE 5

Visit our website at: www.kosmoaa.org

March/April 2012

Defense Bill (Continued on page 6)

Last week we reported on the Senate Armed Services Committee’s update to its version of the FY2012 Defense Authorization Bill.

Almost immediately thereafter, the bill was brought up for action by the full Senate, generating a flurry of hundreds of proposed amendments.

The Senate is scheduled to tackle these amendments – and possibly finish action on the defense bill – next week. That means MOAA members need to act fast to weigh in to support a number of amendments that would help military families…and oppose one

Defense Bill Amendments on Tap

DoD Identifies Brigades Slated to Leave GermanyJanuary 27, 2012Stars and Stripes by Steven Beardsley

GRAFENWÖHR, Germany – Two Army heavy brigades based in Germany will return to the United States as part of the new defense posture in Europe, the Department of Defense confirmed Thursday.

The move will send the 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, based out of Grafenwöhr and Schweinfurt, and the Baumholder-based 170th Infantry Brigade, back to the States.

The 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy, will remain as the only Army brigades permanently based in Europe.

The announcement came during a preview of new Defense Department budget projections

From Military.com before the president releases the full federal budget request for fiscal 2013 on February 13.

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS(Excerpts from MOAA’s email updates, Copyright © Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) or from other sources as cited).

graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.• The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7,

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.• The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 - 245 deaths.• The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.Please pass this on to those who served during this time, and those who DO Care.

Wall (Continued from page 5)

Attention Veterans!

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SUNBEAMS PAGE 6 March/April 2012

Defense Bill (Continued from page 5)

As I See It – An Extra Special Interest GroupJanuary 12, 2012By Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF-Ret.

Budget critics perpetually attack the special interest groups that lobby Congress and make big political donations to protect, preserve, and enhance their own share of the budget pie at taxpayers’ expense.

The assumption is special interest groups care more about their own interests than they do about the welfare of the country as a whole.

Among those who propose significant cutbacks in defense spending, some point to the advocacy of military associations (often citing MOAA as lead example) as the cause of significant recent personnel and compensation cost growth.

In their view, the military community is a special interest group that has sought to feather its own nest with higher pay for currently serving troops, plussed-

up health care benefits, expensive retirement reforms, and big benefit increases for military survivors, among others, over the past decade.

Are we a special interest group?Absolutely. In fact, the military

community should be considered an “extra special interest group.” But Congress wouldn’t have passed all those increases if it were merely a matter of self-interest for the affected individuals.

The military community is (or at least should be) of extra special interest to every American, because unless we can continue to attract top-quality people to serve for decades under conditions most Americans won’t accept, the country won’t be able to meet its most basic requirement — defending itself.

Unlike other special interest groups, MOAA and most other military associations don’t have deep pockets to make political contributions or take legislators on lavish “retreats.”

that would hit many hard in the wallet over time.Amendments MOAA supports include:

• Sen. Bill Nelson’s (D-FL) amendment to end the deduction of VA death benefits (DIC) from military SBP annuities.

• Two amendments offered by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to ease compensation inequities for disabled retirees.

• Sen. Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) amendment urging the Pentagon to provide service members access to flexible spending accounts to pay out-of-pocket health and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars, just as federal civilians and all corporate employees can.

• Sen. Carl Levin’s (D-MI) amendment to authorize early retirement and other authorities to ease inequities during the coming force drawdown.

• Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s (D-NJ) amendment to acknowledge in law that career military people pre-pay extraordinary premiums for their healthcare through decades of service and sacrifice.

But MOAA was shocked and disappointed at an amendment offered by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) that would backtrack on the position previously approved by the Armed Services Committee that the percentage increase in TRICARE Prime enrollment fee should not exceed the percentage increase in retiree COLAs.

McCain’s amendment would delete that protection and tie future increases to a Pentagon generated index of health cost growth that would raise fees by an estimated 6.5% per year. Over time, that increase would cost enrollees many hundreds of dollars a year.

As I See It (Continued on page 7)

SUNBEAMS PAGE 7 March/April 2012

KOS LuncheonOcala Elks Club

(702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala)Thursday, March 1, 2012

Cocktails (Cash Bar), 12:00 NoonLunch, 12:30 P.M.

RESERVATION POLICY: Reservations must be made no later than Monday, February 27, 2012 for the KOS Luncheon on March 1, 2012 and Monday, April 2, 2012 for the Luncheon at Stumpknockers on April 5 by calling LTC Arlo Janssen at (352) 237-9720. Please call for reservations and remember payment for your reservation is expected whether or not you attend.

March AprilKOS Luncheon

Stumpknockers Restaurant(Along the Withlacoochee River)Thursday, April 5, 2012

Cocktails (Cash Bar), 11:30 A.M.Lunch, 12:00 Noon

MenuPotato Salad

Shrimp CreoleRice Pilaf

Grilled Mixed VegetablesRolls and Butter

Iced Tea and Hot CoffeeDessert

Reservations Required – $14.00 per person

PLEASE NOTE: At the KOS November 2011 meeting of the Board of Directors (BOD), the price for the Luncheon menu was increased to $14.00 and the Dinner menu was increased to $16.00 to cover overall costs to the KOS Chapter. There will be a large table available for single members for the March Luncheon.

-Tip included-

PROGRAMWe should all enjoy our speaker for the day, Dr.John Z. Lofgren, Ph. D. The Appleton Museum Director of Art.

MenuCatfish, Grilled Chicken or Sliced Beef

SaladBaked Potato

Rolls and ButterIced Tea and Hot Coffee

Dessert

Reservations Required$20.00 per person – tip included(Make your checks payable to KOS-MOAA)

PROGRAMThis is a joint luncheon with members of the Citrus County Chapter of MOAA. Please come to socialize with our MOAA neighbors from the Citrus County area.

We make our case on historical experience that Congress understands better than the budget critics do.

And that experience clearly shows when the country depresses military compensation and benefits value so it no longer offsets the sacrifices of career service, people in uniform eventually vote with their feet.

That’s what happened in the 1990s, after almost two decades of constant pay, retirement, and health care cutbacks.

Congress didn’t pass the increases of the past decade out of the goodness of their hearts or to feather military families’ nests at the country’s expense. Congress

adopted those changes because they were essential to preserve retention and readiness — by correcting the wrongs imposed on the military community over previous decades.

They knew from hard experience that currently serving troops pay attention to the treatment accorded their predecessors in service and that military retirees are primary recruiters for the next generations in uniform.

Too often over the 1980s and 1990s, the treatment of military retirees loudly spoke, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”And the military and the country paid a price for that in retention and readiness.

Sadly, shortsighted budget critics don’t seem to learn from the retention crises of the 1970s and 1990s. All they focus on is the past decade of improvements to address the problems that caused the crises.

Every segment of America, including the military, will be called upon to make some sacrifices to put our country back on a sound economic path.

Unfortunately, history shows the tendency in tough budget times has been to whack the military community disproportionally and give inadequate weight to the sacrifices they already have rendered for our country.

Extra special interest group, indeed. At least they should be.

As I See It (Continued from page 6)

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