Military Officer - February 2008 - (Page 68) Board Dinner At Thursday night’s board dinner, Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, USAR, chief of the Army Reserve, spoke to MOAA staff, board members, and guests. Stultz offered stories about currently serving men and women, conveying their commitment to their mission and our nation. “The dedication that we have in our reserve components, it’s unbelievable,” Stultz said. “I tell Spouse Event New to MOAA’s annual meeting was a spouse program Nov. 16. The event featured a panel of military spouses discussing the topic of “Today’s Military Spouse.” Attendees listen to the spouse program panelists (left). MOAA’s Capt. Bud Schneeweis, USCG-Ret., (above) discusses survivor benefits. Spouse Advisory Council, and Joy Dunlap, MOAA’s deputy director of Government Relations for military family issues. Panelists provided personal advice for coping with constant deployments, relocations, and other hardships common to the military lifestyle. Panelists included Kelly Kimball, Tanya Biank, Nicole Alcorn, and Paula Sumrall, members of MOAA’s President’s Currently Serving people I’m in awe of the force that we’ve got now. It’s not the force that [it was] when I joined the Army Reserve.” According to Stultz, current Army reservists are staying in the service for the predictability of it and because they want to know their families are being taken care of. So Stultz said his current focus in the Army Reserve is taking care of the families. “If the family doesn’t feel good about what they’re doing, and if that soldier can’t focus on his mission in theater because he’s worring about a family back home, we’re not going to be effective,” Stultz said. Professional Symposium Approximately 300 guests attended MOAA’s professional symposium Nov. 16 to hear a panel of experts discuss “The Role of the United States Military in Homeland Defense, Disaster Preparedness, and Response.” After a welcome and introduction by Gen. Michael Carns, USAF-Ret., chair of MOAA’s board of directors, the Honorable Stephen M. Duncan moderated a discussion focused on solutions for handling domestic defense and homeland security. The panel included Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of NORAD and NORTHCOM; Vice Adm. Vivien S. Crea, vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau; and W. Craig Fugate, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The diverse group of panelists described their organizations’ responses to past disasters and fielded questions from the audience. W. Craig Fugate, standing, discusses his experiences responding to natural disasters while other symposium panelists look on. Each panelist had the opportunity to offer remarks before fielding audience questions. 68 MILITARY OFFICER FEBRUARY 2008 PHOTOS THIS SPREAD: STEVE BARRETT
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