chaptersinaction
SSA, the VA, insurance agencies, Handbook. This handbook contains
ON THE WEB
and other institutions about her helpful checklists, form letters, infor-
■ The 2008 Storming the Hill video now
husband’s death. mation on SBP payments, and other
is available, featuring interviews with various
MOAA representatives who headed to Capi-
“I really don’t know what I would valuable information.
tol Hill to lobby for legislation that would
have done without Jim,” says Davis. benefit servicemembers. View the video at
“Things sure have gone smoothly for Positioned to help
www.moaa.org/2008stormingthehill.
me, and it’s all because of him.” Col. Steve dePyssler, USAF-Ret.,
heads the Ark-La-Tex Chapter’s per- the chapter hosts a yearly personal
Keeping chapter sonal affairs program. As director of affairs seminar, which features
members informed Barksdale AFB’s Retiree Activities speakers who cover topics ranging
The Northeast Arkansas Chapter is Offi ce (RAO), dePyssler often as- from fi nancial planning to changes
one of many MOAA chapters with sists surviving spouses following the in veterans’ benefi ts. The popular
a personal affairs program. Walker death of a servicemember — regard- seminar helps chapter members
oversees his chapter’s less of whether they are learn much of what they need to
program, which as- MOAA members or not. know in only an hour.
sists surviving spouses
The Ark-La-
Survivors receive
and the adult children
Tex chap-
the Personal Affairs Assistance from
of servicemembers Workbook and Survivor auxiliary members
following a service- ter assists Guide to Benefi ts that Auxiliary members like Vivian
member’s death. The
surviving
was developed and writ- Bennett often participate in their
chapter also hosts a
spouses,
ten by dePyssler and chapter’s personal affairs program.
yearly personal af-
whether
fellow RAO volunteer Recently, Bennett helped organize
fairs seminar where Chief Master Sgt. Her- and distribute fl yers for the South-
husbands and wives
they are
man Nock, USAF-Ret. ern Nevada Chapter’s veterans’
can sit down together
MOAA
This comprehensive benefi ts seminar at the retirement
and plan for the future.
members
source of information community where she lives in
Overwhelming at fi rst,
or not.
can be downloaded from Henderson, Nev. More than 250
the seminar helps these the chapter’s Web site people attended the seminar, which
couples gather impor- (
www.arklatexmoaa featured speakers from the VA, Dis-
tant and necessary in- .org). In addition, dePys- abled American Veterans, and the
formation and establish a plan that sler conducts an annual widows’ sem- Nevada State Veterans Home.
enables a smoother transition upon inar that covers topics ranging from Lt. Col. Roosevelt Harrelle,
a spouse’s death. insurance to SBP. USMC-Ret., chairs the chapter’s
National MOAA offers a wide personal affairs committee and is in
variety of publications to help its Local guidance the process of distributing copies of
members with this planning process, and support MOAA’s Personal Affairs Workbook
including the Personal Affairs Work- The Mount Vernon (Va.) Chapter to members. He also assists them
book and Help Your Survivors Now: also has its own personal affairs with matters ranging from obtain-
A Guide to Planning Ahead. To order handbook, Emergency Planning, ing VA benefi ts to getting new mili-
a copy, visit
www.moaa.org or call which can be downloaded from the tary ID cards.
MOAA’s Member Service Center at chapter’s Web site (
www.mvmoaa “Right now, we’re in the process of
(800) 234-MOAA (6622). .com). When a servicemember’s fi xing a mistake in a paralyzed mem-
However, Walker and other PAOs spouse dies, personal affairs assistant ber’s [DD Form 214] so he’ll receive
often develop their own publications Susie Davis mails them a sympathy credit for 23 years of service instead
that list important local and national card, along with a reminder that the of 16,” says past president Lt. Col.
resources. Every new member of the chapter is there to help. Tommy Thompson, USA-Ret. “Once
Northeast Arkansas Chapter receives According to personal affairs this gets fi xed … he’ll be eligible for
the chapter’s Survivor Information chair Capt. Gary Hall, USN-Ret., TRICARE For Life.”
AUGUST 2008 MILITARY OFFICER 41
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