OUR STREAMER. LTC Arlo Janssen, US Army (Ret.) President, 2016, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA

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1 Vol. XL No. 6 OUR November/December 2016 STREAMER LTC Arlo Janssen, US Army (Ret.) President, 2016, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA The 2016 MOAA annual meeting in Arlington, Virginia, will be the big KOS Chapter event for me in late October. The 2016 Levels of Excellence (LOE) awards will be presented during the award banquet. Our Chapter will receive a Five Star Streamer from Gen. Charles T. Tony Robertson, Jr, Chairman of the MOAA Board of Directors. Our KOS Chapter is truly one the best of the best. I salute Sharon Murry and her excellent writing team for this LOE award. Only 121 of the best MOAA chapters or councils earned the five-star awards and, 59 earned four-star awards. At our September Welcome Back luncheon, I presented a KOS Chapter Certificate of Appreciation to Kay Chandler for her many years of supporting the Stuff the Bus program in Marion County. I also presented Certificates of Appreciation to three hard working KOS Social Affiliates for their support of our chapter activities. The affiliates honored were Grace Raymond, Dennis Rose, and Peggy Sayat. Our 2016 Halloween Dinner Dance was canceled because of Hurricane Matthew. The Elks Club was notified, and the music for our listening and dancing pleasure by Diana and Mitch Smallwood and their band Retro Express was canceled on October 5, We thank all those that contributed their time and effort to this special KOS October Dinner Dance. The November/December edition of Sunbeams is full of KOS meeting dates for the rest of the year. Please mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting and Memorial Service on November 3, The Army/Navy tailgate party is set for December 10, 2016, and our Veteran s Snowflake Ball will be held on December 15, This Year - Beat Navy Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. LTC Arlo Janssen, President, KOS/MOAA Visit our website at:

2 SUNBEAMS PAGE 2 November/December 2016 Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA PO Box 4255, Ocala, Florida 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 Concord Print Shop of Ocala, Florida. KOS is a nonprofit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April It is not associated with the Department of Defense. Editor: Lt. Col. Sharon M. Murry (Air Force), Photo Editor: Dennis Rose (Air Force), Legislation: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), Publisher: Kingdom of the Sun Chapter of MOAA Chapter Officers: President: LTC Arlo Janssen, (Army) st V.P.: COL Robert Schlegel (Army), nd V.P.: Lt. Col. Carol C. Walker (Air Force), SECRETARY: Mrs. Betty Hayes, SS, TREASURER: Mrs. Linda Byrd, SS, Directors: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), CDR Thomas W. Dann (USCG), CPT John Rose (Army), CW03 Ralph Spiller Jr. (Navy), Mrs. Bonnie Morris, SS, COL Robert Morris, Jr. (Army), Birthday Representative: Mrs. Marilou Truitt, SS, Distaff Representative: Mrs. Betty Hayes, SS, Immediate Past President Lt. Col. Sharon M. Murry (Air Force), 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. THE DISTAFF SIDE by Mrs. Betty Hayes Can you believe that it s the middle of October already? GET READY! The holidays aren t too far behind, and your calendar of events will fill up quickly. Our KOS November 3 rd dinner will honor our members who have passed away this past year. CAPT Dave Olsen, who was our bell ringer for so many of our memorials through the years, passed away in July. He will be missed. Have you ever attended the Veteran s Light Up The Stars Concert at Veteran s Memorial Park? The Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band, under the direction of Les Muncaster, will present a varied program ending with the 1812 Overture with FIREWORKS! Mark your calendar for Sunday, November 6 th, at 6:30 PM. It s a great way to celebrate Veteran s Day, a few days earlier. Our annual Veteran s Snowflake Ball will be on Thursday, December 15 th. Try to get your reservations in early and secure your table setting. We always have a gala evening. Put on your white tie, your top hat and your cane, and your dancing shoes just like Fred Astaire and enjoy the music of NOVA. As this year of 2016 comes to a close, remember those service men and women comrades who are no longer here to celebrate the New Year. The bells are ringing and the horns are blowing in honor of what they have given us FREEDOM! UNDER THE WEATHER Both Bill and Sharon have been having some health issues. We wish them a speedy recovery. MEMORY JOGGER: December 7th has been designated as REMEMBRANCE DAY. Teach your children and grandchildren the meaning of this day. So, it will NEVER be forgotten.

3 SUNBEAMS PAGE 3 November/December 2016 KOS ANNUAL MEETING NOVEMBER 3, 2016 This constitutes the notice of the KOS/MOAA Annual Meeting on November 3, CDR James Chandler, the Nominating Committee chairperson, will present the slate of officers for 2017 at the annual meeting. The final slate of Officers and Directors are listed below for your information. FROM THE DESK OF CDR JAMES CHANDLER September 14, 2016 LTC Arlo Janssen President Kingdom of the Sun Chapter MOAA Box 114, Ocala, FL Dear President Janssen: In accordance with my appointment as Nominating Chair for the 2017 KOS Slate of Officers, I respectfully submit the following: PROPOSED SLATE President: LTC Arlo Janssen (Army) First Vice President: COL Robert Schlegel (Army) 2nd Vice President: Lt.Col. Carol Walker (Air Force) Secretary: Mrs. Betty Hayes (Associate) Treasurer: Mrs. Linda Byrd (Associate) STUMPKNOCKERS Restaurant Featuring Our Famous ALL-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 Terms Ending 2018: Director: Mrs. Marilyn Rose Dunn (Associate) Director: CWO3 Ralph Spiller, Jr. (Navy) Director: Mrs. Bonnie Morris (Associate) Respectfully Submitted James T. Chandler CDR, USNR (Ret.)

4 SUNBEAMS PAGE 4 November/December 2016 KOS DIRECTORY CHANGE Please make these changes in your 2016 Directory. A new Directory will not be published until 2018 because of the cost and the constant changes needed. DIRECTORY CHANGES Dann, Thomas, USCG/R- drop the R at the end of the title. NEW AFFILIATE MEMBERS Schnur, John (Laura) 8929 D SW 94th ST. Ocala, FL # beachbum6546@yahoo.com Kudos My Thank You to the Concord Print Shop personnel for their outstanding support publishing our KOS Sunbeams. I want to emphasize that Erin Payne, Bill Marren, and Susie Craft have truly done a great job with our electronic and printed versions of Sunbeams. Thank You Left to right: Erin Payne, Bill Marren, and Susie Craft IN MEMORIAM Elinor Rose Graham, spouse of Frank H. Graham, LCDR USN, died on August 31, MEMORY JOGGER: The 2016 Veteran s Snowflake Ball is set for Thursday, December 15, Please mark your calendar for this great event.

5 SEE AND BE SEEN Uç WxÇÇ á eéáx September-October 2016 SUNBEAMS PAGE 5 November/December 2016 a MONTH BY MONTH PHOTO HISTORY OF KOS-MOAA. are YOU IN IT? Above - Peggy Sayat Grace Raymond Above - Kay Chandler & Arlo Janssen Below - Carol Walker and Ted Warner Below- Dennis Rose & Linda Byrd

6 SUNBEAMS PAGE 6 November/December 2016 September 30, 2016 HOUSE PASSES VA APPEALS MODERNIZATION This spring, the VA Secretary told Congress the backlog of initial disability claims had been reduced significantly, but there was an enormous and growing backlog of appeals. Senate Veteran Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) demanded VA come up with a solution so he could introduce legislation by Memorial Day. In March, the VA convened a working group of veteran service organizations (VSOs) and other stakeholder groups, including MOAA, to develop a new proposed procedure. The resulting plan would create three lanes for appeal after an initial ratings decision. A veteran could choose to: 1. Submit his or her own additional information to have the VA reconsider the claim (termed by VA as a supplemental claim ); 2. Request a review of the claim by a more senior VA rater using the same evidence the initial decision was made on, with an option for an informal hearing; or 3. Submit the appeal directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals, without the extra interim steps required now. One other important change is the VA s current duty to assist the veteran in developing the claim would end after the initial VA decision. VA Secretary Bob McDonald has spared no effort in trying to get this legislative proposal through Congress. On Sept. 14, 2016, HR 5620 passed the house by a vote. The final bill also included whistleblower protections, authority to share veterans medical information with community care providers to facilitate treatment, and honoring certain members of the reserve component as veterans. While the bill isn t perfect (MOAA has some qualms about eliminating the VA s duty to assist the veteran in developing an appeal), it s the only bill with a chance to make real progress in easing the current ridiculous situation where an appeal takes years. MOAA is hopeful the Senate also will approve the bill so vets can get timely appeals decisions. - See more at: Modernization.aspx?utm_source=Legis&utm_medium= &utm_campaign=modernizationoct#sthash. ry9bfnuy.dpuf Service@concordprintocala.com 600 S. Magnolia Avenue Ocala, Florida (352) Fax: (352)

7 SUNBEAMS PAGE 7 November/December 2016 September 30, 2016 TRICARE FEES, PAY, HOUSING, AND SSIA UPDATE House and Senate Armed Services committee leaders have said they ve nearly completed negotiations on the FY 2017 Defense Authorization Bill. That s the mammoth bill that will determine TRICARE fee changes, troop levels, the size of the military pay raise, housing allowance changes, and survivor benefit payments, among many other things. In recent years, those negotiations have dragged into November or December, so it would seem encouraging that progress has been faster this year. But a lot depends on whether Congress will allow extra money in the DoD budget above the spending caps set under last year s budget deal. Congress has yet to resolve inter-party disputes on overall federal spending, and whether a rise in DoD spending would have to be matched by a rise in non-defense spending. Until that s resolved, the defense bill - and the final action on all of the personnel and benefit issues - remains in limbo. So we re back where we were last year, waiting for a lame duck Congress to work these issues out in November and December. - See more at: Fees,-Pay,-Housing,-and-SSIA-Update.aspx?utm_source=Legis&utm_medium= &utm_ campaign=feespayhousingssia#sthash.eka8fp9v.dpuf NOVEMBER Ocala Elks Club 702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala 3 - Annual Meeting and Memorial Service Cost: $16 6:00 P.M., Cocktails (cash bar) 6:30 P.M., Dinner Menu: Tossed salad, roast pork, scalloped potatoes, grilled mixed vegetables, fresh bread and butter, Chef s special dessert, iced tea and coffee. Reservations by October Board of Directors 12:30 P.M., Everyone is welcome Schedule of Events DECEMBER Ocala Elks Club 702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala 15 - Veterans Snowflake Ball See Enclosed Flyer Paid advance reservations only by December 12. Cost: $40 per person 6:00 P.M., Cocktails (cash bar) 7:00 P.M., Dinner Band and Vocal Music by NOVA Menu: Tossed Green Salad, Prime Rib, Au Jus and Horseradish, Baked Potato, Green Beans Almondine, Fresh Bread and Butter, Chef s Specialty Dessert, Iced Tea and Coffee Reservations by December Army Navy Tailgate Party See enclosed flyer Reservations by December Board of Directors 12:30 P.M. Everyone is welcome JANUARY Ocala Elks Club 702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala 5 - Installation of KOS Officers Cost: $15 12:00 P.M., Cocktails (cash bar) 12:30 P.M., Lunch Reservations by January 2, Board of Directors 12:30 P.M. Everyone is welcome Tables will be available for single members at all KOS events. Reservations: Lt Col Carol Walker at (352) or by to Kapuahi77@aol.com

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