chaptersinaction
“Members of the JLC are good to support a measure that would fully and extending the educational ben-
about speaking with one voice, and fund Turbo Vet, a system that would efi ts provided by Texas’ Hazelwood
that helps pass legislation,” says Col. streamline claims fi led by state veter- Act to include veterans’ families.
Sam Wilder Jr., USA-Ret., legislative ans. VCOC members also lobbied for Col. David Briggs, USA-Ret., second
representative for the VCOC. real estate tax relief for 100-percent vice president and legislative chair
disabled veterans — a measure mem- for the TCOC, says chapter members
Working state issues bers of the Texas Council of Chapters must take time to meet with their leg-
For fi ve years, members of Georgia (TCOC) are trying to pass as well. islators face-to-face to be effective.
MOAA Inc. (GMOAA) have been The TCOC began storming its state “You have to become known to
Storming the Gold Dome in Atlanta, legislature, which convenes every two [your state representatives] and es-
where their state legislature meets. years, in 2004. In February, chapter tablish some credibility so when you
As a member of the Georgia Federal members lobbied on issues such as come back next year, they recognize
Military Retiree Coalition, GMOAA establishing a lottery that would fund you and know what you’re there to
has won a series of state income-tax the Texas Veterans Assistance Fund talk about,” says Briggs.
exemptions for retired servicemem-
bers and federal civilian employees.
Residents age 62 and older can ex-
empt $35,000 of their retired pay
2008 Give Me 10! Winners
from state taxation. Military and fed- Chapter members recruited 3,870 officers for national MOAA during
eral retirees also received a refund the 2008 Give Me 10! program and converted 1,145 regular MOAA member-
for state taxes paid from 1985-88. ships into life memberships.
“Our major priority this year is Lt. Cmdr. L. Wynne Krell, USCG-Ret., recruiter for the Fourstate (Mo.)
to hang on to our tax exemption,” Chapter, won the $1,000 recruiter sweepstakes. The member he recruited, 1st
says Lt. Col. Joe Barto, USA-Ret., Lt. Robert Fitzpatrick, ARNG, received $500 and an MOAA life membership.
GMOAA’s vice president of Legisla- The following chapters received $1,000 each for recruiting the most
tive Affairs. “If the legislature can give members in their size category. The winning chapters are
it to you, they also can take it away.” Category 1 (49 or fewer members)
Piedmont (Va.) — 31 new members recruited
Lobbying for active duty Category 2 (50 to 74 members)
Members in Georgia, Texas, Virginia, George C. Marshall (Va.) — 133 new members recruited
and Wisconsin are working to pass the Category 3 (75 to 99 members)
Interstate Compact on Educational Lake Tahoe (Nev.) — 61 new members recruited
Opportunity for Military Children to Category 4 (100 to 120 members)
help ease transitions from school to MOAA Lehigh Valley (Pa.) — 27 new members recruited
school resulting from military moves. Category 5 (121 to 149 members) (tie)
VCOC members also will ask that Jayhawk (Kan.) — 35 new members recruited
benefi ts paid from the Military Family Willamette (Ore.) — 35 new members recruited
Relief Fund be exempt from taxation. Category 6 (150 to 199 members)
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Council Santa Fe Trail (Kan.) — 54 new members recruited
of Chapters, which is holding its fi rst- Category 7 (200 to 249 members)
ever Storming the Capitol session, will Fort Rucker (Ala.) — 299 new members recruited
lobby to exempt certain low-income Category 8 (250 to 299 members)
servicemembers’ active duty pay from Southside (Va.) — 540 new members recruited
state taxation. Category 9 (300 to 499 members)
Mount Vernon (Va.) — 105 new members recruited
Helping state veterans Category 10 (500 or more members)
During their storming session in Janu- El Paso (Texas) — 186 new members recruited
ary, VCOC members asked legislators
A P R I L 2 0 0 9 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 3 9
AApr_chapters.indd
39pr_chapters.indd 39 22/26/09 6:22:32 PM/26/09 6:22:32 PM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80