1. No category

LTC William Johnson to Provide an Information Brief
Of The Army’s “Soldier For Life” Program
On 21 January at the O’Club
In This Issue
2 The Prez Sez
3 Officers/Directors
3 Pentagon Trim Proposals
4 Secretary’s Notes
5 Woodworking Trio
8 Legislative
9 War Stories
11 Financial Scams
Volume 42 Number 1
January 2015
ieutenant Colonel William (Will) T. Johnson
serves as the North East United States and
European Director on the Army Chief of
Staff’s Soldier for Life (SFL) Program. In this role he
connects Army, governmental, and community
efforts to facilitate the successful reintegration of
Soldiers, Veterans, Retired Soldiers, and their
Families with the purpose of keeping them Army
Strong, instilling their values, ethos, and leadership
within their local communities.
SFL was established in July 2012 to maintain
trust with our Army Family during and after service.
On 9 Oct. 2014, Army Chief of Staff General
Raymond T. Odierno emphasized that through SFL, we are synchronizing the efforts of
more than 46,000 organizations, allowing Soldiers to “Start Strong, Serve Strong,
Reintegrate Strong and Remain Strong.” The endstate of the SFL campaign are
Soldiers, Veterans, and Families who leave military service “career ready” and find an
established network of enablers connecting them with the employment, education,
and health resources required to successfully reintegrate into civilian society.
General George Washington said it best in 1781, “The willingness with which
our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be
directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated
and appreciated by their nation.”
Trained as an Artillery Officer, LTC Johnson has served in a series of strategic
and operational assignments supporting operations in the Middle East, South West
Asia, and Central Asia. His combat tours include two deployments to Iraq in 2003
(ground invasion) and 2007; he most recently returned from Afghanistan in August
2013 where he served as a Battalion Commander. LTC Johnson served as a
Department of Defense Legislative Fellow to Congress, serving two years on Capitol Hill
in the U.S. House of Representatives.
LTC Johnson has two Masters Degrees, one in Criminal Justice from Armstrong
University (Savannah, Ga.) and Legislative Affairs from The George Washington
University (Washington D.C.). He was recently selected for attendance to Senior Staff
College and promotion to Colonel. Johnson is married to Jessica Johnson who has
stood by him for over 10 years, and together they have a wonderful son, Davis, age 7.
As he says, “I could not do what I do without their love, support, and understanding. “
L
Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier ... A Soldier for Life!
Page 2 January 2015
The Prez Sez
A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL
In this article, the first of nearly a dozen, I will attempt to
keep you apprised of the happenings of your chapter during the
time I am President. I would like to have the opportunity of
meeting each of you and exchanging ideas on how the chapter
can best be run. Perhaps you could make it a point to join us at
one of our dinner meetings, at the Fort Belvoir Officers Club or
the Fairfax Retirement Community. One of the best meetings is
the Scholarship Award dinner, at Ft. Belvoir in May, when we
award some outstanding young Junior ROTC people from local
high schools what we consider to be an initial required amount
to enter one of the schools of higher learning of their choice. We
do have other very good meetings at which we are joined by
members of the community; politicians, military members, and
presenters of interesting tales of persons of interest. You really
should make an attempt to join us for one of these dinners – I am
sure one time would instill within you the desire to continue
meeting with your fellow chapter members and enjoying the
presentations.
In the company of our chapter President, LCDR Bill
Broome, I had the privilege of laying the MOAA wreath at
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veteran’s day. This
was the second year that I have had this honor and just
being present in the company of all those veterans and
dignitaries, in itself, was a great honor. This year’s program
was under the leadership of the Disabled American
Veterans and next year MOAA will have the responsibility
for the program. I anticipate the possibility of our chapter
being requested to participate in the many facets of the
program and will be calling upon many of you to assist me
in fulfilling the requirements (requests) of the national
office. I promise that you will find any involvement in this
production to be very fulfilling and you will be able to walk
away from the event knowing that you have been involved
in one of our nations great programs for its veterans.
The December 2014 issue of the Military Officer
magazine has several good articles among its many good
features, however, I found one article of exceptional
interest. It was the reference to navigating your VA claim
which I thought was not only well presented, but hit upon
the many facets of the claim that many of us don’t even
consider. I thought this article was exceptional in that it
referred to the support one of MOAA’s Veteran Support
Specialists had provided to an enlisted man. I thought this
was especially good as I had always thought our Veteran
Support Office (VSO) was for members of the Association
and, being a former enlisted man, I found the support
offered this individual to be outstanding. The interface
provided between the VSO and the Veterans Administration
showed the effect our organization has in supporting
members of the military. Additionally, the article about the
return of a WWII veteran to the beaches and European
locations of his early life should not be missed. This issue is
must reading!
If you were not able to be present at the annual business
meeting and installation of Officers, you missed an outstanding
presentation by VADM Norb Ryan, your MOAA President. He
also installed the officers of the chapter for the coming year.
Subsequent to his talk, I had requested of our chapter President,
LCDR Bill Broome, the opportunity to say a few words to the
assembled group. I really did keep my talk to only a few words,
but they were ones which I consider very important to the
Let me conclude this month’s diatribe with a
growth of our chapter. I related the fact that it was not very long
ago that the membership of the chapter was over six hundred request – please, please, join me and you fellow veterans at
members and that I would like to see the chapter get back to one of our monthly dinner meetings – AND - help me
that strength in the coming year or so. We can do this if each increase our chapter’s membership.
one of us will get one new member. That new member will be
asked to get another new member and before long we are back
Provide a fellow officer the following
at or above the six hundred mark. I admit to having brought
link to join our chapter:
several new members into the chapter in the past few years and
will continue my search for active duty, retired and former
http://www.mvmoaa.com/membership.html
Officers to join us as chapter members. I really want to make
this chapter grow and will only be able to accomplish this with
your help, so (as I said at my installation), help me!
Page 3 January 2015
Chapter Officers
President: CDR Rex Maddox, USN
1st VP: CDR George Wallace, USN
2ndVP: Lt Col Earl Henderson, USAF
Secretary: LCDR William Broome, USCG
Treasurer: LT Mark Cohen, USN
Past President: LCDR William Broome, USCG
Standing Committees (2015)
703-765-8819
703-354-4647
850-819-3193
703-395-4317
703-847-8900
703-395-4317
Directors (2014-2015)
COL Russ Henderson, USA
LTC Cerie Kimball, USA
Mrs. Joyce Davis Aux
703-780-1068
703-310-4605
703-360-0748
Directors (2015-2016)
COL Bob Patrick, USA
LCDR Marty Schaller, USN
LT James Ivey, USN
703-690-9336
703-323-7339
571-499-7738
Other Duties
MOAA Liaison: COL Robert Patrick, USA
Chaplain: COL Arnie Porter, USAF
Fairfax Liaison: Mrs. Joyce Davis
703-690-9336
703-780-4310
703-372-2564
Arrangements: LCDR Marty Schaller, USN
Auxiliary: Mrs Joyce Davis
Despatch Editor: LT James Ivey, USN
JROTC Awards: COL Arnie Porter, USAF
Legislative: COL Stuart Williams, USA
Membership: Lt Col Earl Henderson, USAF
Personal Affairs: MAJ Nick Sottler, USMC
Program Admin: Vacant
Program Speakers: LTC Cerie Kimball, USA
Public Relations: CDR George Wallace, USN
Scholarship Fund: LCDR Marty Schaller, USN
TOPS Liaison: Vacant
VCOC: COL Robert Patrick, USA
Veterans Affairs: Vacant
Webmaster: LT James Ivey, USN
703-323-7339
703-372-2564
571-499-7738
703-780-4310
703-644-4126
850-819-3193
703-360-9295
703-310-4605
703-765-8819
703-323-7339
703-690-9336
571-499-7738
Pentagon Trim Proposals to Continue
Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work, a retired Marine colonel and former Navy undersecretary, said 30 SEP that
the Pentagon will continue pressing to trim military pay, pensions, and housing allowances despite rejections by
Congress. The Pentagon will also try again to reform the Tricare health care system and kill the A-10 attack
aircraft despite nearly universal opposition from veterans service organizations, Work said at a Council on Foreign
Relations forum. "This whole idea of compensation is absolutely critical. Compensation (reform) is a really big
deal" in DoD's efforts to maintain readiness, fight wars in Afghanistan and the Mideast and re-balance forces to
the Pacific while working under the budgetary restrictions of the Congressional sequester process, Work said.
Matters will come to a head in February when DoD presents its next budget and the Military Compensation and
Retirement Modernization Commission presents its long-awaited reform recommendations.
He said he expected that Congress will still be working under a continuing resolution on DoD's budget in
February. "This is truly the last chance for us to make any moves in this space" on pay, pensions and other costcutting measures, said Work. Without the proposed cuts, the Pentagon will be left with a $70 billion hole in its
budget, Work said, but Congress has opposed "what we consider to be reasonable approaches. It's been no, no,
no, no, no, no, no" to nearly every suggestion. "This is la-la land," Work said.
The Military Officers Association of America and other veterans groups were bracing for the upcoming fight with
DoD on pay and benefits. "I don't expect that the Department is going to ease off on any of these next year," said
retired Col. Mike Hayden, MOAA's director of government relations. He said that DoD was "looking at any way to
try to offset readiness costs by shifting them onto service members and their families and retirees."
Over the Labor Day weekend, President Obama sent notice to Congress limiting pay increases for the military and
federal civilian workers to one percent.
[Source: Military Times | Richard Sisk | Sept. 30, 2014 ++]
Page 4 January 2015
Secretary’s Notes
Reminder ..... Members of MVC/MOAA Board of Directors....
A meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled for every first Tuesday of the month (except July), at 7:00 P.M. at
the South County Government Center 8350 Richmond Hwy. Alexandria, VA (Room 217 or 219).
If you are unable to attend, please call Rex Maddox at (703) 765-8819 Email: rmaddoxgca@aol.com
All members are welcome to attend.
Welcome New Members
COL William Huff, USA
Spouse: Michelle
COL Murray Rupert, USA-Ret
Spouse: Adriana
Col Peter Sartori, USAF
Spouse: Diane
COL William Nelson, USAF-Ret
Spouse: Janice
LtCol Matt Howard, USMC
Spouse: Darcy
LTC Angela Ewing, USA-Ret
Spouse: N/A
LTC Rogers Stinson, USA
Spouse: Christine
Major Jessica Ryu , USMC
Spouse: N/A
Address Change
Phyllis J. Wilson
Old: 3939 Brickert Pl Woodbridge, VA
New: 6392 Stagg Ct. Springfield, VA 22150
Constitutional Amendment Passes
Congratulations! The Virginia Constitutional Amendment providing real estate tax relief to spouses
of military members who are killed in action passed with 87% of voters saying yes on 4 November.
Page 5 January 2015
Senior woodworking trio keeping
both their saws and skills sharp
As a kid growing up in
Massachusetts, Doug
Borden, 83, worked on
wooden boats with his
grandfather — a U.S.
Navy veteran of the
Spanish-American
War.
the community woodshop. Today, he is the shop’s
foreman.
Last year, Joe Fleig, 78, of Reston moved to
Westminster from Reston, adding his own set of
woodworking power tools to the shop. “My
grandfather lived in the Black Forest in Germany
making cuckoo clocks,” he said. “My father was a
great carpenter and built our house in upstate New
York. Back then men knew how to do things like
that.”
That experience steered his life toward two things: a
25-year career in the U.S. Navy, and a passion for
woodworking.
Fleig said his father taught him many woodworking
skills, and Fleig later made wooden Christmas gifts for
his friends and family. “Every year I’d make 50 of
something, like trivets or ornaments or other
decorative items, and give them out,” he said.
Those wooden boats constantly needed work, and I
guess working on them with my grandfather at an
early age did in fact have an impact on the rest of my
life,” he said.
Today, Borden, Fleig and Pearthree are known in their
retirement community as the “Westminster
Woodworkers.”
In 1969 Borden moved to Franconia, where he built a
shed and a workbench to go in it. When he recently
realized it was time to move to a retirement
community, he chose Westminster at Lake Ridge in
Occoquan, which offered a community woodshop
and some kindred
woodworking spirits.
As a child in the 1930s,
Edward Pearthree, 86, of
Chantilly played in his
grandfather’s cabinetmaking shop.
During his 25-year stint in
the Army, Pearthree spent
his off-duty hours on a
variety of woodworking projects, including renovating
a home in Alaska. “I took off the roof and added a
second floor,” he said.
Everywhere the Army transferred Pearthree, his
extensive collection of woodworking hand tools
would also go.
When he moved to Westminster from Chantilly four
years ago, his tools moved in with him, and he joined
Using the community woodshop and each other’s
contributed tools, the trio pools their time and skills
to repair chairs, cabinets, end tables and many other
family treasures and heirlooms; preserving important
memories for their nearly 300 neighbors.
They stay busy with a waiting list of projects. When
they get a call, they visit a resident’s apartment to
assess whether or not the furniture is repairable. On
one such visit, they found a large antique chest of
drawers missing three legs and sitting precariously on
a stack of books.
“Often furniture gets damaged in a move. We got the
legs put back on, and got the broken dresser back to
usefulness again,” said Pearthree. “In many cases
these are pieces of furniture that residents have had
for decades and they have deep sentimental
attachments to them.”
The volunteer woodworkers work independently as
their individual schedules permit, and gather together
on Tuesday afternoons to work on their assigned
projects, joking and enjoying each other’s company.
“Doug’s specialty is fixing chairs, so we call him the
‘chairman’,” jokes Fleig.
Woodworking continued on page 11
Page 6 January 2015
www.optidfour.com
www.militaryresearchassociates.com
The Mount Vernon Chapter thanks its sponsors for their support by supporting them?
Please identify yourself as a chapter member when you contact them.
www.aalaw.com
www.IndianRiverColonyClub.com/usmilitary
www.George-Wallace.com
Page 7 January 2015
Mail to: flagbike@aol.com
mail to: hall@potadv.com
www.thefairfaxretirement.com
www.merchantcircle.com/business/Fort.Hunt.Service.Center.Inc.703-799-7320
Page 8 January 2015
Budget Amendments for
Virginia 2015 General Assembly
Four of the JLC/BVS recommendations for the 2015 General
Assembly (GA) require amendments to 2016 portion of the
2015-2016 Biennial Budget passed by the 2014 GA and
signed by the Governor. These include additional amounts
over what has already been approved of $1,750,201 for
Claims Agents, $387,273 for the Virginia Wounded Warrior
Program, $160,965 for additional staffing at the Virginia
War Memorial, and $1,180,000 to eliminate veteran
homelessness. Due to sequestration and reduction in
Defense spending in the state, Virginia is experiencing a
revenue shortfall that will make these increases
problematical. The Governor will release his proposed
budget/legislative program on 17 December. The JLC will
meet on 18 December to review the proposals and to make
appropriate adjustments if deemed necessary.
National
FY 2015 Defense Authorizations and Appropriations The
FY2015 National Defense Authorizations Act (NDAA)
(HR3979) was passed and sent to the President on 12
December. The following day the defense appropriations
(HR83) was also passed and sent to the President. As this is
written on 15 December there is an ongoing analysis of the
content of these acts and the outcome affecting the lives of
all military – active, retired national guard, and reserve.
Some examples:
Ž
Pay raise limited to 1% rather than the 1.8% matching
private sector pay growth
Ž
Modest increase in TRICARE pharmacy fees
Ž
Minor reduction in Basic Housing Allowance (BAH)
Ž
$10 million reduction in Defense Commissary Agency
funding and,
Ž
On base tobacco prices to be raised to match competitive local prices
In rejecting almost every Defense Department proposal this
year to hold down personnel costs, lawmakers said time
after time that these changes should await the final report
of the Military Compensation and Retirement
Modernization Commission, due in February. 2015 and the
FY2016 budgeting process should prove to be very complex.
VCOC 2015 National Objectives
The VCOC Legislative Committee met on 10 December in
Richmond and adopted three measures to recommend to
the VCOC Board for approval. These will be used to
advocate in the 1st Session of the 114th Congress and focus
on the FY2016 budget deliberations. The measures include
Remove Sequestration, Return to Regular Order, and
Reorganize/Restructure the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA). Each chapter’s legislative rep has a copy of the
position papers of each issue.
MOAA Commentary
2015 marks a second year of pay caps below private sector
wage growth. The last two pay raises are tied for the lowest
raises in 50 years. With four additional years of pay caps
included in the president’s 2014 budget submission, this
isn’t a statistical anomaly, it’s the emergence of a disturbing
trend.
Even though Congress limited changes in commissary
funding, housing allowances, and pharmacy copays to one
year, this could easily be perceived as support for chipping
away at these benefits.
In two obscured sections of a joint explanatory statement
of the defense bill, House and Senate Armed Services
Committee members stated that they have not yet rejected
DoD plans to further erode housing allowances or increase
TRICARE pharmacy fees, and will again “commit to
consider” these proposals next year.
But if sequestration returns, an even uglier scenario will be
on the horizon. The joint statement goes on to say that if
sequestration returns, “ DoD will need to make painful cuts
and achieve substantial savings across its entire budget in
order to avoid an unacceptable reduction in readiness.”
Unacceptable readiness can be the result of a variety of
shortfalls in either inadequate training or equipment. But
we must not lose sight that the erosion of pay and benefits
in the past led to poor recruiting and retention, resulting in
unacceptable readiness issues. It appears we are heading
down that path again.
The bottom line: To ensure we don’t go from good, to bad,
to ugly, MOAA’s mission in 2015 will be to remind Congress
that erosions to pay and benefits led to significant readiness
problems in the past.
[Source: MOAA Bottom Line, Dec. 10, 2014]
MOAA Storms Continued on page 10
Page 9 January 2015
War Stories
By CDR Rex Maddox, USN, Ret
On to Further Training
After dropping the family off in a housing project
for what I anticipated would be a prelude to moving on
base once I reported for duty in VW-13(Airborne Early
Warning Squadron 13) at Patuxent River, Maryland, I
continued on to the Naval Air Station at Glynco, Georgia
and reported to the school’s duty Officer. I was to
receive training there as an Airborne Combat
Information Center and Electronic Warfare Officer –
WHOOPEE! Back to basics for training in the field in
which I was originally trained, in 1945, at the Combat
Information Center School for radarman in San Diego,
California. AND, I had taught myself to operate
Electronic Warfare and counter-measures equipment
while serving on the USS Newman K. Perry, DDR-883 in
our west pacific deployment, as a radarman. However,
this schooling was to lead to my receiving a set of Navy
wings of gold as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO)! If I couldn’t
be a Naval Aviator, this would be the next best thing.
After reporting to the school’s Duty Officer for
duty, I was greeted by an old friend from the days of our
duty in Japan, Joe Shelby, a first class Air Traffic
Controlman , in those days, who worked in the control
tower at NAS Atsugi and whose wife and children had
come over to Japan on the same Military Sea
Transportation Service (MSTS) ship as my family. Joe
was now the Leading Chief of the CIC school, a Senior
Chief Petty Officer (E-8). As it turned out, there were
several petty officers on the school staff whom I had
known from previous duty stations. After checking in at
the school, I reported to the base housing office and
received an assignment to a room in the Bachelor
Officers Quarters, my home for the next four months.
The class to which I had been assigned was a
mixed group with several Naval Aviators, myself and
nearly a dozen Ensigns who had received their NFO
wings at NAS Pensacola, Florida. Our class leader turned
out to be an aviator Lieutenant who was receiving
training prior to reporting to the USS Enterprise as the
CIC Officer. He was a nice guy and we got along well
until he was called into the school Training Officer’s
office one day with a complaint that members of his
class were sleeping during various classes (now I wonder
who that might have been). On another occasion, I had
actually been reported to the Leading Chief by a second
class radarman who was teaching a plotting course, for
sleeping in his class. When I went in to talk with the
Leading Chief, my friend Joe, he offered me a cup of
coffee and said I really should try to stay awake during
classes. Of course, my retort to this was that I could
probably teach the course much better than the Petty
Officer who was standing at the chalk board. Joe was
very good about this and we had a good time talking
about our tour in Japan before I reported back to my
classes. Our class leader was pretty sure it was me that
was the reason for his being called “on the carpet” by
the school’s training officer, so he let me know “he was
keeping an eye on me”! I agreed to try and stay awake
during class and was successful at this effort until one
day when a young petty officer was teaching us about
the operation of a particular piece of electronic countermeasures equipment. I admitted to dozing off and when
the young Petty Officer reported me, I had another
meeting with my friend the Leading Chief. Of course, I
was chastised by the class leader and received a warning
from him of a possible trip to the school’s Training
Officer’s office.
Most of the young Officers in our class were
receiving training to become Radar Intercept Officers
(the radar operator who is known as a “back seater” in
jet fighter aircraft, or RIO). One of our class trainees had
reported to sick bay one day and, rather than cancel a
training flight which affected numerous people, our class
was asked to provide a substitute to make the training
flight. I had previously received altitude and ejection
seat training at NAS Corpus Christi so, after a quick
checkout on the equipment in the aircraft and the
mission, it was determined I was qualified to sit in the
seat as an airborne radar operator. At the completion of
the flight, during the debrief, the pilot reported that the
RIO on the flight had made three effective intercepts and
put the aircraft in a position for positive “kills”. As a
result of this mission, the school training Officer
contacted me and asked if I would like to change my
curriculum to become an RIO. I declined his offer as I
really didn’t want to set myself up for a possible jet
Continued on page 10
Page 10 January 2015
Continued from page 9
squadron tour when my family was already in Patuxent
River and I had orders to VW-13.
One incident which did not help with my personal
standing in the class and relationship with the class leader
was my selection to be the Officers in Training platoon
Officer during an inspection by the Chief of Naval Air
Training. Each of the officers above the rank of Ensign
had been interviewed regarding
their past involvement in inspections and their familiarity
with the manual for swords as this was to be a formal
inspection. I had been required to purchase a sword
while on duty in Corpus Christi and had brought my sword
with me to Glynco so when time for selection came, I was
chosen because I had a sword in my possession while
none of the other Officers in my class had one. When the
Admiral came to our platoon, I reported the presence of
the class and that all members were present, which was
normal. The Admiral stopped in front of me and said he had
noticed my good conduct ribbon and how did I like being a
“mustang”. I knew former enlisted persons who had been
selected to become an Officer were often referred to as
“Mustangs” but I was not prepared for a question from the
inspecting Officer about my personal background. My
response was evidently satisfactory with the Admiral as he said
he had noted there were several officers in the platoon who
were of senior rank to me and I should be proud to be their
platoon Officer. I thanked him and he moved on. Later I was
called into the school Training Officer’s office where I received
the congratulations of the Officer in Charge for my actions
during the inspection.
Upon completion of the required twelve week
curriculum, graduation from the course was at hand. I had
been in contact with my parents who lived in San Diego and
had asked them if they could possibly travel to Maryland and
stay with our children while Pat came to Glynco to pin on my
wings. Seeing as they had not seen their grandchildren for
some time, they were willing to make the trip and spend a
week in Patuxent River, so Pat was able to come down to
Georgia and pin on my wings as a Naval Flight Officer.
Following the ceremony and graduation party held by the
members of the class, we drove to Patuxent River and joined
the other members of our little family. I reported to VW-13
and was assigned to a crew for duty flying in the super
constellation known as a WV-2 (Willy Victor Duece). The duty
in the squadron became very interesting almost immediately
and those tales will be the subject of another article.
Continued from page 8
Virginia Council of MOAA storms General
Assembly on 26 January 2015
All 18 chapters of the Virginia Council of Chapters – MOAA will
be in Richmond on Monday, January 26, 2015 to visit
delegates and senators of their chapter membership. Purpose
is to promote the objectives of the Joint Leadership Council
(JLC) to adequately fund operations of the Virginia
Department of Veteran Services to serve all 850,000 veterans
in Virginia. For the Mt. Vernon Chapter that includes some
eleven delegates and five senators. In between visits there
will be the opportunity to listen to various elected officials
who have been invited to share their thoughts with us. If you
wish to participate please contact our legislative chair Stu
Williams at either 703-644-4126 or shw13@att.net. He will fill
you in with all the details. Position papers on each issue are
available on the VCOC website at:
http://www.virginiamoaa.com/legislativestatelevel/2015ob
jectives.html
Page 11 January 2015
Woodworking continued from page 5
In addition to fixing broken furniture, the trio also
builds some new items.
“The woodworkers built the original benches
embedded in the community landscape, machined
plaques for our craft fair projects and designed
attractive individual wooden mailboxes for our
residents’ doors. Over the years, they have given so
much to the community,” said Susan Lasher, director of
life enrichment for Westminster.
“We stay busy,” said Borden. “We only charge $5 per
repair, and that is
only to keep us in
wood glue,
sandpaper and
other things that
we use a lot and
that need to be
frequently
replaced.”
Financial Scams
Anyone can be the victim of a financial scam. Older
adults are especially vulnerable because they tend to be
trusting and polite, they could be lonely and socially isolated,
they might be vulnerable due to grief, and they will have
income and some assets.
Examples of financial scams are identity theft, lottery
and sweepstakes scams, email and Internet scams,
telemarketing scams, mail offers, or door-to-door salespeople.
Many older adults will not report financial scams because they
feel ashamed or embarrassed, they don’t know where and how
to report a financial problem, or they fear retaliation from
someone.
To minimize the risk of being scammed, you (whether
elderly or not): (1) should be aware of anyone who offers to
help handle your finances; (2) should secure your financial
documents, including checks, financial statements, and credit
cards; and (3) should not let others use your credit or debit
cards. If you are invited to consider something that is a “good
deal” or “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” say, “I never make
a decision without consulting my advisor.” Have this sentence
on the tip of your tongue, and give this response if you think
you might be the target of a scam, even if the offer is from a
family member, friend, or caregiver.
While all community residents are permitted to use the
shop, most residents send things to the team of
woodworking volunteers. “Our neighbors are very
Scammers often introduce themselves using a
grateful for our services,” said Fleig.
“designation” to imply they are experts. Also, they might say,
The trio says it is
also grateful for the
opportunity to be
productive and
appreciated.
“This shop was one
of the reasons I
chose to live here,”
said Pearthree. “I have a job and friends and a shop
with better equipment than I ever had before. What
could be better than that?”
by Gregg MacDonald Staff writer Fairfax Times.com
gmacdonald@fairfaxtimes.com
“The president of your organization (or someone who could be
considered knowledgeable) wants you to be included before it
is too late.” Remember, you need to say, “I never make a
decision without consulting my advisor.” Also, you could plan
to meet regularly with a trusted advisor to discuss your
financial matters, whether it is in regard to your investments,
taxes, or estate plans. Your advisor will appreciate your
willingness to stay on top of things, and you will sleep better.
To check on an investment, call the Security and
Exchange Commission at (800) 732-0330. To check on an
investment advisor, call the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (FINRA) at FINRA Broker Check at (800) 289-9999. To
call a state regulator, use (202) 737-0900. You can contact the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to obtain a copy of
Money Smart for Older Adults at: www.consumerfinance.gov.
By Sharon A DeVaney, member, Auxiliary Advisory Committee
REMINDER - - 2015 DUES
Members, except for those who have already paid dues
for 2015 and our new first year dues-free members since
July 2014, received a notice in the December Despatch that
membership dues for 2015 were due by January 1, 2015.
The December Despatch included a mail-in form on page 11
(to help update our records). Dues are: Regular Members =
$25.00, Auxiliary Members = $10.00
Please provide your National MOAA membership
number & class of membership. Also, please indicate if you
wish to receive The Despatch by print (mail) or
electronically in an email with a PDF link (this helps us save
money!) Or, save time and money, renew online:
https://chapterdues.moaa.org/Membership.aspx
While you have your checkbook out, please consider a
tax-deductible donation to our Chapter Scholarship Fund.
Please write a separate check payable to MVC Scholarship
Fund.
Lastly, we ask that you DO NOT combine your dues
payment with a payment for a monthly dinner meeting or
Scholarship Fund donation. These all go to separate
places and accounts. Please use separate checks.
Any questions? Call Bill Broome (703-395-4317) or email wjbroome@gmail.com