Military Officer - November 2008 - (Page 10)

fromtheeditor Honoring Veterans This Veterans Day, take a moment to remember those who fought for our country on the front lines — and their families who supported them from the home front. N ovember is when the U.S. celebrates Veterans Day — a time to honor military veterans. Observed on the 11th day of the month, this holiday originally was established to recognize the formal end of major hostilities of World War I. That happened at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when Germany signed the Armistice. Today, Veterans Day honors veterans of all wars. November also is a time to celebrate Military Family Month. This annual event is sponsored by the Armed Services YMCA and endorsed by the U.S. president and military leaders. Military Family Month is about showing the nation’s support and commitment to military families. As a veterans’ organization, MOAA supports the military community every day — and we like to think every month is Military Family Month. If you follow MOAA’s campaigns, you might have noticed an extra emphasis on families in the past years. That’s because military families are under tremendous pressures these days; their daily sacriﬁces have never been greater. MOAA is working to improve programs, beneﬁts, and representation for all military families, including families of currently serving servicemembers and surviving spouses. To make sure we’re on track in the family-support area, in recent years, MOAA formed two advisory councils. One consists of currently serving spouses; the other represents surviving spouses. Both groups provide insights and recommendations MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2008 that help us set our priorities. (To see a photo of the latest class of the Currently Serving Spouse Advisory Council, turn to page 23.) Our story “Memory Survives,” page 62, pays tribute to those military families who have made the ultimate sacriﬁce — the loss of a husband or wife, son or daughter, in service to their country. To frame the issue, we spoke to four wives whose husbands were killed in action. Their stories span different wars and highlight changing times, but the underlying theme is that basic realities of loss never change. This Veterans Day, MOAA salutes veterans of all wars. And during this Military Family Month, let’s help the nation thank military family members for the contributions and sacriﬁces they make every day. As President George W. Bush says in his message about Military Family Month, “Our nation is especially indebted to our military families who have stood by their loved ones in times of war and times of peace. Nothing can compensate for the sacriﬁce they make and the exceptional challenges they face.” — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT 10

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2008

Military Officer - November 2008 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Chapters in Action Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Financial Guidebook Out of the Red 7 Year-End Tax Strategies Cover Story: Memory Survives Something to Say MOAA Scholarship Recipients Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - November 2008

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