Military Officer - May 2006 - (Page 60)

Division’s 7th Brigade who deployed to Iraq. According to Cmdr. John Baumgarten, USN-Ret., immediate past president, the chapter is donating another $600 so the FRG can fund additional projects. “Providing funding allows the FRG to establish its own priorities,” he says. “So far, they haven’t asked for anything we wouldn’t want to support.” Chapter members also work with the Defense Supply Center Women’s Club to help meet the needs of hospitalized veterans at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA combat ofﬁcer — the grandson of a former chapter president — who is stationed in Afghanistan. Adopt soldiers and sailors Members of the Tucson (Ariz.) Chapter have adopted three active duty units in the past year. In February 2005, the chapter adopted the 360th Transportation Company based in Fort Carson, Colo. Chapter members shipped 600 pounds of comfort-care items to the company before it rotated stateside in November 2005. “It meant a lot to know that the chapter felt so connected to our crew … that they were willing to directly contribute to our morale.” — Lt. Adam Chamie, USCG, commander of the USCGC Monomoy Medical Center in Richmond. In November 2005, members began bringing comfort-care items veterans had requested to chapter meetings. These items then were collected and distributed by members of the Women’s Club at the medical center. Smaller chapters, such as the Highland Lakes (Texas) Chapter, which has approximately 100 members, also are showing their support for deployed troops. For more than a year, members have been shipping packages to two active duty ofﬁcers in Afghanistan who both have ties to the chapter. “We’re happy to do it, and it doesn’t cost us much,” says Col. John Anderson, USAF-Ret., immediate past president of the chapter. Members started the project after the chapter’s former vice president, an active duty National Guard ofﬁcer who is attached to a civil affairs unit, deployed to Afghanistan. The deployed ofﬁcer’s wife still attends chapter meetings and relays requests from the unit to the chapter. Interestingly, most members of the civil affairs unit don’t request items for themselves. Instead, they’ve asked chapter members to send them school supplies and children’s clothes, which are distributed to area villagers to promote goodwill. E-mail updates describing the work being done by the civil affairs unit appear in the chapter’s newsletter as well. Highland Lakes Chapter members also have sent several packages ﬁlled with comfort-care items to an Army 60 MILITARY OFFICER M AY 2 0 0 6 Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class A.J. Toledo livens up the Monomoy’s mess deck with decorations sent by the Jersey Cape Chapter. Chamie says the chapter’s consistent contributions boost the crew’s morale. Returning soldiers from the 250th Military Intelligence Battalion were feted at a welcome home shindig organized by the Marin County (Calif.) Chapter. Local businesses and policitians also pitched in to create a memorable event. PHOTOS: ABOVE LEFT, COURTESY USCG; ABOVE RIGHT, COURTESY 250TH MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BATTALION

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - May 2006

Military Officer - May 2006 Contents From the Editor President's Page Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Raising Iraq Dogfight Fun Caring For Our Own Pages of History Information Exchange MOAA Scholarship Donors Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - May 2006

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