Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 1

HOUSTON AREA PO BOX 1082 HOUSTON TX 77251-1082 www.moaahoustonarea.com

Newsletter to Members

Vol. XLVII No. 4 April 2009

NEXT MEETING SATURDAY, April 25, 2009 BRIAR CLUB

President’s Message

Our MOAA,HA meetings continue with

quality speakers. Those attending wonder

why so many good people (our members)

are missing out as great information is

delivered and as we visit and enjoy a fine

weekend lunch. Don't be surprised if you

receive a telephonic delivered personal

invitation to our meetings.

Mother's Day is approaching. Please take some time to ponder

and celebrate the ladies (and gentlemen) on active duty,

especially those with exposure to battlefield hazards. The current

pattern is that there isn't any front line for fighting. All in theatre

are in harm's way.

It is appropriate for us active and ex-service members to

appreciate and thank the mothers and spouses left behind. As we

have departed for our distant stations, those left behind are living

(and have lived) in the shadow of uncertainty that is unique. The

home front never knows what news will come. They go about

their activities keeping the family together while living under the

dread for what might be. Take time to express your gratitude to

our own "left behinds" for their loving dedication to our success.

So come on out to our next meeting for fine food, genteel

setting, a brief but informative speech, and fellowship with your

fellow military colleagues. We need some fresh air and

companionship. This is a great way to satisfy that need.

James C. "Jim" Causey, President

COL USA

OfficersPresidentJames Causey, COL USA281.497.2652

1st Vice President ProgramWayne Ritter Lt Col USAF 713.947.2087

SecretaryVal G. Henneberg MAJ USA713.729.8217

Treasurer Martin J. Harris Maj USMC713.436.0429

2nd Vice President ArrangementsJeannette Evans, Auxiliary281.495.2202

Legislative RepresentativeROTC Scholarship William Taylor Cpt. USA Ret.28.482.7315

Assistant Legislative Representative George McDowell Col USAF713.723.5166

LiaisonEugene Tulich CDR USCG281.376.0061

ROTCEdward Hale COL USAR713.644.3796

ChaplainKerry Magee CAPT USN979.964.3236 h or 979.236.2415 cell

Editor Carol Ann Wilson 8902 Sunnywood DriveHouston TX77088-3729281. 847.9754; 281.642.4050 cell281.847.2121 faxcarolwilson@earthlink.net

Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 2

MOAA Houston Area

Board Meeting

Tues. Apr. 21, 11:30

Rudi Lechner’s

2503 S. Gessner

Future meetings

All at Rudi Lechner’s

5/26 6/23 7/21 8/25

9/22 10/27 11/? 12/?

MOAA

Houston AreaMonthly Meeting

and Luncheon

Sat. Apr. 25 11:30

Briar Club2603 Timmons Lane

Houston, TX 77027

(713) 622-3667

House Salad

London Broil

or Roasted Alaskan Salmon

Vegetables and Starch

Rolls and Butter

Jack Daniels Pecan Pie

or Chocolate Cake

$30

Reservations to Jeannette

Evans, 281.495.2202, by

Noon on Wed. 4/22/09

Speaker

Col. James

Causey

Yes, Our President will be

our speaker with his great

stories of his experiences in

Berlin, the Pentagon, and

elsewhere. Come on out!

Future MOAA-HA MeetingsAll at Briar Club

6/27 7/25 8/29 9/26

10/31 11/19 12/4

NOTE: The Armed Forces Ball is in May.

See form on page 5 of this newsletter.

Photos from our

March Meeting

Military OfficersWives Association

MOWA

Thursday

April 16

Manor Houseat

The Houstonian Hotel,

Club & Spa

111 N. Post Oak Lane

Houston TX 77024

713.680.2626

Menu

Tortilla Soup

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Chocolate Lava Cake/

Vanilla Ice Cream

Tea or Coffee

$28

Reservations to Lonez Fox,

713-782-0751

by Monday,

Apr. 13, 2009

Future MOWA

Meetings

5/21 Racquet Club

6/18 Junior League

9/17 Houston Racquet Club

10/15 Forest Club

11/19 Petroleum Club

12/17

MOAA,HA

Z Treasurer’s Report

April 1, 2009

Income $ 1,853. Expenses $ 2,000. Balance $ 5,838.

Martin J. Harris, Treasurer

President Jim Causey presents certificate of appreciation to Lt.Col. Jeff Ragland at our March

meeting.

Martin Harris withMarch Winner Juanita Ritter

“First Lady” Elizabeth Causey

with Col. Ragland

Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 3

From Our Chaplain

SHALOM! PEACE BE

WITH YOU!

A PRAYER FOR OUR

COUNTRY

Almighty God, you have

given us this great land as

our heritage. We humbly

pray that we may always

remember your generosity

and faithfully do your will.

Bless our land with honest

industry, truthful education

and an honorable way if life.

Defend our liberties and

strengthen the resolve of the

people who have come from

throughout the world to

make America their home.

Lead us to choose the harder

right instead of the easier

wrong. Help us to appreciate

the opportunities that are

ours as we struggle to bring

harmony to an unsettled

world. May we balance our

concern for justice with a

willingness to display mercy,

and may our concern for

security be tempered with a

willingness to take risks

which will produce

worthwhile change for the

good of all people. O Lord,

we pray for your guidance as

we work together for the

interest of our communities,

our Nation, our world, and

the ultimate goal of Peace.

When times are prosperous,

let our hearts be thankful

,and in troubled times may

our deepest trust be in You.

Amen.

From the Chaplain's Service Book of

Prayers

Kerry B. Magee

CAPT USNR-RET

TAPS

Mary Lee Lanik-Lear’s husband, Jim

Lear, passed away on March 11, 2009.

Kathleen Carmichel Powell, our oldest

Auxiliary member at 103:

3 December 1905 - 18 March 2009

Membership Directory

Our membership directory has been

printed and is in the mail or you have

already received it. Sincere thanks to

COL. Andy Parsons for heading up

this worthwhile project.

Newsletter Ad Prices

Full page $180; 1/2 page $90;

1/4 page $50; 1/8 $20

Endowment Fund and

Houston Corps of Cadets

Our program for the Houston Corps of

Cadets is ongoing, and each issue of

the newsletter will continue to carry

the form for donations. The Corps of

Cadets is now asking for our

assistance and help with their proposal

for permanent funding for research

grants from the Department of

Defense. The University of Houston

proposes to build a National Security

Support Complex. The U of H is one

of the strongest supporters of Air

Force and Army ROTC in the nation,

and the Houston Corps of Cadets is

now the second largest in the

Texas-Louisiana region. They

are looking for $8.5 million in

federal funding for the NSCC

to develop leaders for the

Global War on Terror.

We have been asked not for

money but that we contact our

respective members of the U.

S. House of Representatives

and ask them to support the

University of Houston's

proposal for the NSCC. If you

would like to send a letter,

you may contact either me or

our editor, Carol Wilson, for a

sample copy. Let's do what

we can to help this worthy

project.

We were invited to a meeting

to learn about this project, so

several from our chapter

attended. Below is a photo of

that gathering.

William Taylor

Cpt. USA Ret.

ROTC Scholarships

Deadline for nominations was

March 31, 2009. One medal

per school is available, and

we have 45 JROTC and 10

ROTC medals to award.

Edward M. Hale, COL USA

(RET) is in charge of this fine

program that presents medals

to deserving young ROTC

and JROTC students in

several South Texas high

schools and universities.

CAPT Kerry Magee

Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 4

Hire an Attorney to Help you with your VA ClaimsPublic Law 109-461 allows you to hire an attorney

“after you file a notice of disagreement with your respective VA claim decision.”

Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C.Protecting those who have protected us.

As a retired Air Force officer, combat pilot, and disabled veteran, my goal is to get you the benefits or

disability rating you have earned including:

· U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans

Claims Appeals

· VA claims after VA Regional Office

denial

· Board of Veteran Appeals Claims · Correction of Military Records

· VA disability ratings · VA benefits

W ills & Probate - Helping Veterans protect themselves and their families

5100 W estheimer Road, Suite 115713-572-4VET (4838)

Houston, TX 77056-5507 877-425-4VET (4838) (Toll-free)

bob@gosslaw.com713-572-4843 (facsimile)

www.attorneyforveterans.com

Member The College of the State Bar of Texas.No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services

performed by other lawyers. Except as noted, our attorneys are not Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Report on our March Speaker

Our scheduled speaker for March was Brigadier General Jimmie Jaye Wells, Commander, 1st

Battle Command Training Brigade, 75th BCT Division. At the last minute he was unable to come, and Lt.

Col. Jeff Ragland substituted. What a terrific job he did! Ragland served in Afghanistan in 2003-04,

twice, as Information Operations Officer. He served in Haiti in 2005 on the Joint Task Force, and with the

Red Team Leader Training at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Hood. He then served in Iraq as IO Field

Command Chief. Lt. Col. Ragland lives in Sugar Land and owns a computer consulting company. He is

currently mobilized but not deployed. He briefed us on the concept and duties of a Red Team Leader:

“somebody on staff comes up with a plan–like Napoleon’s aide–challenging assumptions. ‘If we X, then

what will Y?’”

Heavily involved in the Surge, he related that the Iraqis are smart and theirs is a very intelligent

population, although they still see tribal alliances. Afghanistan, he said, is “a completely different

animal.” He said it’s lawful for every household in both Afghanistan and Iraq to have AK-47 assault

weapons. “Many of their 10-year-olds are heads of the household,” he said, and added that “the Culture of

Martyrdom is perceived right for jihad because Islam teaches that it’s their ticket to Heaven, and who

wouldn’t want that?” He said that, unlike our way of living, there the tribal society at large is more

important than the individual. He told us that there are 32 different languages spoken in Afghanistan, and

we have trouble even speaking to them.

He had us captivated and was very candid in the question-and-answer session. We wish all our

members had been there to hear him. –Ed.

Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 5

The Houston Military Affairs Committee

Presents the

Armed Forces Day Military Ball

The Ball Committee requests the pleasure of your company at the2009 Armed Forces Day Military Ball: “Honoring Our Military” Saturday, May 16, 2009 Hyatt Regency Downtown1200 Louisiana, Houston 5:30 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. ceremony, 7:30 p.m. dinner

Featured Speakers

Congressman Pete OlsonTwenty-second Congressional District in Texas

Rear Admiral Joel Whitehead

Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District

Captain Emmanouildis Dimitrios, Hellenic Coast GuardConsulate of Greece in Houston

Music: Dancing to Kurland Street Band

ARMED FORCES DAY MILITARY BALL TICKET ORDER FORM

Please send this form with payment by check to:Houston Military Affairs Committee PO Box 300526, Houston, Texas 77230-0526or contact Commander Gene Tulich at 832-276-3193, email gene42@flash.net

______ Executive Table $2000______ Individual tickets at $50______ Individual Tickets (vegetarian meal) at $50

Name ___________________________________ Rank _______________Organization _________________________________________________Table Preference ___________________________ (List table members below)Contact Phone _____________________ E-mail ______________________Mailing Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rank/Title Name ________ _________________________________________________ ________ _________________________________________________ ________ _________________________________________________ ________ __________________________________________________ ________ __________________________________________________ ________ __________________________________________________ ________ __________________________________________________

Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 6

Newsletter of MOAA Houston Area, April 2009, p. 7

MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, HOUSTON AREA Houston Corps of Cadets ROTC Endowment Fund–The University of Houston (Army, Navy, Marine Corps,

Air Force)

Please Print Donor name:_______________________________________________________

Mailing Address______________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Phone: Day_______________Evening_____________e-mail__________________________

My pledge of $_________should be designed to support MOAA,HA Houston Corps of Cadets

My gift will be made with installments of $______to be paid monthly___quarterly___annually___.

Beginning date:_______The Office of Stewardship will send reminders.)

___Enclosed is a check (made payable to University of Houston) for the first pledge payable.

Please charge my credit card for the amount of my gift, as scheduled above:

___Visa ___Mastercard ___American Express ___Discover

Account Number_________________________________ Expiration date:_______________

Name as it appears on card:_____________________Signature: _____________________________

______I would like to be contacted about fulfilling my pledge with a gift of appreciated securities.

My pledge payment will be matched by: __________________________________________

(Please specify company for our records)

Donor signature:___________________________________date_______________________

Donor Signature:___________________________________date_______________________

Thank you for your support of the MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, HOUSTON AREA,

HOUSTON CORPS OF CADETS ROTC ENDOWMENT FUND, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

____________________________________________________________________________

University of Houston; Advancement Services; P.O. Box 867; Houston TX 77001-0867

Attn: Nancy V. Clark E-mail: uh.edu/giving

A Story Worth Reading and Repeating: Author Unknown

On leaving the supermarket one day, Isaw an old man with the hood of hiscar up and a lady sitting inside the car.The old man was looking at theengine.

The old man caught a young man’sattention and pointed to his open hood.The young man put his grocery baginto a brand new Cadillac Escaladeand then turned and yelled at the oldgentleman: "You shouldn't even beallowed to drive a car at your age." Hegot in his car and peeled rubber out ofthe parking lot.

The old gentleman then mopped hisbrow as he again looked at the engineand spoke to his wife, apparentlyconsoling her. I had seen enough, so Iapproached the old man, and said,“Looks like you’re having a problem.”

He smiled sheepishly and quietlynodded his head. I looked under thehood but knew that whatever theproblem was, it was beyond me. I sawa gas station up the road and told theold man that I would be right back. Idrove to the station related the

problem the old man had with his carand offered to pay the mechanics fortheir help.

When the old gentleman saw us, hiseyes brightened. The mechanicsdiagnosed and fixed the problem as Ispoke with the old gentleman. Henoticed my Marine Corps ring and toldme that he had been a Marine too. Inodded and asked the usual question,"What outfit did you serve with?"

He mentioned Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Guadalcanal . He had hit allthe big ones and retired from theCorps after the war. As we talked, weheard the car engine come on and sawthe mechanics lower the hood.

They came over to us as the old manreached for his wallet but was stoppedby me, and I told him I would just putthe bill on my AAA account.Nevertheless, he handed me a card that I assumed had his name andaddress on it, and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands again andI then followed the two mechanicsback to the station.

Once at the station I went to pay them,but they refused to charge me. One ofthem pulled out a card from his pocketlooking exactly like the card the oldman had given to me. Both of the mentold me then that they were MarineCorps Reserves. We again shookhands, and I drove off.

After I had gone about two blocks, Ipulled over and took the card out ofmy pocket and looked at it for a long,long time. The name of the oldgentleman was on the card in goldenleaf and under his name:

"Congressional Medal of HonorSociety."

I sat there motionless, looked up fromthe card, and smiled to no one butmyself. I marveled that on this day,four Marines had all come together,because one of us needed help. Howgood it felt to have stood next togreatness and courage and an honor tohave been in that old gentleman’spresence.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

NAME: ____________________________________________________________________________

Last First Initial Grade Service Branch

NAME OF SPOUSE:

___________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS:__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Tel. _______________________________________________________________________

E-mail: ______________________________ Dues: Regular Membership $10 first year;

annual renewal $20

Auxiliary (spouse of deceased officer) $10

Make check payable to MOAA,HA and send to MOAA,HA

PO Box 1082 Houston TX 77251-1082

For more information, call Maj. Val G. Henneberg 713.729.8217

TO:

Military Officers Association of America, Houston AreaMembership is available to Officers who have held a Federal Warrant or Commission in any of the seven

uniformed services of the United States or to the surviving spouse of such a person. Please use this form for

application for membership, renewal, or changes to the current directory of members.

Military Officers Association of America, Houston AreaPO Box 1082Houston TX 77251-1082

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Houston TX

Permit # 2102