Fort George G. Meade Chapter. Officers Call. Sep/Oct 2015 Five Star Chapter Award 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 Presidents Message

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1 Fort George G. Meade Chapter Officers Call Sep/Oct 2015 Five Star Chapter Award 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 Presidents Message I will fly to Orlando at the end of this month to pick up our 5-star Level of Excellence streamer. You will find pictures from the 5 th Annual Congressional Luncheon hosted by District 2 Congressman Ruppersberger and the Maryland Council of Chapters (MDCOC) on Capitol Hill September 17. The chapter still needs some new blood to step up in several key areas for the chapter. Newsletter editor is our first priority as we are on borrowed time with our current editor who will be relinquish the position at the end of the year. I would like the new editor to have some overlap to ensure a smooth transition. Give me a call if interested. Also a reminder to sign up for MOAA s legislative alerts by so you can stay in the loop on Capitol Hill. As you see Congress is looking to cut everything military from the Commissary to raising the premiums and copays on TRICARE. Skeptical? Take a look at the troops pay raise of 1.3%. It should have been 2.3% based on the cost of living index and for the 3 rd consecutive year Congress has seen fit to reduce by 1% the troops hardearned pay raise. See you at the chapter luncheon on November 5 th. Andrew M Veronis PhD Brig. Gen., USAF (Ret) President, FGGM/MOAA Chapter Officers President BG Andrew Veronis, USAF-Ret f104pilot@earthlink.net 1 st Vice President Maj John Whitman, USAF-Retired jwhitmanth@verizon.net 2 nd Vice President LTC Bryon Hartzog, USA-Retired bkhartzogt@gmail.com Treasurer LTC T. Wayne Hobbs, USA-Ret Twaynehobbs1@verizon.net Secretary Rebecca Conover czech6@verizon.net Directors LTC Alfred Shehab, USA-Ret hotspur38@verizon.net LTC George Helwig, USA-Retired Helwig1922@gmail.com Col Gorham L. Black, III, USA-Ret glblackiii@aol.com Past President Maj Jim Shiffrin, USAF-Retired Jim.Shiffrin@gmail.com Personal Affairs Officer Mrs. Eleanor Layman, AUX eleanorlayman@comcast.net

2 TRICARE Premiums Increasing The premiums for TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program will increase Jan. 1 to $306 per month for TYA Prime, and $228 per month for TYA Standard. The open enrollment season Nov. 1 through Jan. 31. Other health care options for young adult beneficiaries include: (1) purchasing TYA Standard at lower premiums and higher cost shares instead of purchasing TYA Prime; (2) enrolling in a parent's civilian health insurance plan; (3) purchasing coverage through the college or university; and (4) purchasing a plan offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace. For more information, visit the TRICARE Young Adult webpage. MOAA Scholarship Program Applicants for all of our programs must plan to attend an accredited college or university during the school year as a full-time student. All loans, grants, and scholarships are designated for students seeking their first undergraduate degree. Interest-free loans, MOAA's main program, are renewable annually for up to five years of full-time undergraduate study. The interest-free loan and grant program provides $5,500 loans, which are renewable for up to five years of undergraduate study. Students selected as loan recipients and their military parent must sign a promissory note before funds can be disbursed. Loans are disbursed in two increments: one-half by early August and onehalf by mid-december. Students (under age 24) who are children of former, active or retired officers or active or retired enlisted military personnel are eligible to apply. If such a child served in a Uniformed Service before completing college, however, his or her maximum age for eligibility will be increased by the number of years he or she so served, up to five years. Selected students must have a sponsor that is a PREMIUM or LIFE member of MOAA or if enlisted, a member of Voices for America's Troops. The online application opens in November and must be completed and submitted no later than noon EST March 1st of the following year. Recipients are notified in May. Qualified students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale are selected on the basis of their scholastic ability, activities, and financial need. VETERANS Day Wednesday November 11 th

3 Col Barry Wright, USA-Retired of MOAA Council and Chapters, Col Mike Rodgers, USA-Retired, and MDCOC President Col Andy Fallon, USA-Retired chat before the beginning of the Congressional Luncheon on September 17 th. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Mike MDCOC Past President Major John Whitman, USAF-Retired makes opening remarks and introduces current MDCOC President Col Andy Fallon to the gathering. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett.

4 Col Andrew Fallon, USA-Retired and MDCOC President welcomes everyone to the 5 th Annual Congressional Luncheon on Capitol Hill. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett. Montgomery County MOAA Chapter member Jim Campbell, USAF- Retired delivers the invocation as MDCOC President Andrew Fallon looks on. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett.

5 Admiral Norb Ryan greets District 5 Congressman Steny Hoyer. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett. Part of the gathering at the September 17 th Congressional Luncheon. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett.

6 Top left photo: Admiral Ryan greets District 6 Congressman John Delaney, top right Admiral Ryan and District 8 Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Jr. In the center picture above Col Andrew Fallon introduces Admiral Ryan and District 4 Congresswoman Donna Edwards. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett. District 5 Congressman Hoyer addresses the luncheon after being introduced by Col Fallon. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett.

7 On-going construction in the Capitol made for a tight fit but we shoe-horned everybody into the room that wanted to attend. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barret. Captain David Peterson, USPHS-Ret greets Congressman Delaney. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett.

8 Col Jim O Brien, USAF-Retired of MOAA National shakes hands with Congresswoman Edwards after she finished addressing the 5 th Annual MDCOC Congressional Luncheon on September 17 th. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett. Jim Campbell and Captain Jim Carman, USN-Retired and Director of MOAA s Transition Center exchange greetings. Photo courtesy of MOAA, Steve Barrett.

9 Harvey Kaplan, Jim Dittbrenner, and Col Steve Strobridge, USAF Retired and Director of Government Relations of MOAA have a sidebar discussion at the Congressional Luncheon. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett. MOAA Staff from the left Col Mike Hayden, Captain Kathy Beasley, and Montgomery County Chapter President Dave Peterson, USPHS- Ret have a discussion while awaiting the next speaker. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett.

10 Congressman Van Hollen and MOAA s Col Bob Norton, USA-Retired, MOAA Deputy Director of Government Relations have a brief discussion prior to the Congressman s departure. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barret. From the left: District 8 Congressman Van Hollen, District 2 Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger greets the Seybolds and on the far right Kelly Powell, aide to Senator Mikulski delivers remarks for her boss who was stuck in the Senate Appropriations Hearing meeting room. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett.

11 From the left: Col Mike Rhoden of the General Smallwood Chapter greets Rep Van Hollen as Susquehanna Chapter member Annie Brock looks on. Center: Lt Col Jeff Brock asks Rep Ruppersberger a question as Col Tom Seybold looks on. Far right: Congressman Ruppersberger at the podium. Photos courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett. Col Fallon, Honorable Dutch Ruppersberger, District 2 Congressman, and Admiral Ryan pose for a group photo at the Congressional Luncheon. Photo courtesy of MOAA Steve Barrett.

12 Honorable Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland addresses the MDCOC Congressional Luncheon on 17 September at the Rayburn House Office Building. Photo courtesy MOAA Steve Barrett. We will see you at next years 6 th Annual MDCOC Congressional Luncheon The Fort George G. Meade Chapter of The Military Officers Association of America P.O. Box 743 Fort George G. Meade, MD