CHILDREN [CONTINUED FROM PAGE 55] Traci Norris’ husband is a Marine
stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and they have a 10-year-old autistic son. She’s grateful for the establishment of the new offi ce but “dubious.” “Here we go with something that could be great,” Norris says. “But it’s diffi cult to create this branch when we’re talking about an individual- ized experience. … You can’t broad- brush that across the country.” A service like the grassroots organiza- tion Stomp Project (
www.stomp
project.org) actually might continue to be a more eff ective resource for families, Norris says. “Stomp has a special-needs com- mittee for every state,” says Norris. “That’s more helpful to me in an as-needed crisis situation than an- other bureaucratic entity. A lot of times as parents we’re given contact information for specialists and a therapist and a case coordinator and an educational liaison. … The last thing we want is another phone number for someone not versed with our family needs.” Despite their reservations, Cotton, Norris, and Hilton are glad MOAA took a proactive role for their kids. “The offi ce’s creation was a com- bination result of several parents testifying to the House and Sen- ate Armed Services committees,” Cotton says. “Really, it says that the folks who have signifi cantly made an impact are those parents who have devoted their time to advocating on behalf of the community. They spent an amazing amount of time doing this. I’m quick to tell people, ‘Say thanks to those bringing light to issues. You never know when that issue will be yours.’ ”
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— Heidi Russell Raff erty is a free- lance writer based in Kentucky. Her last article for Military Offi cer was “Time to Reconnect,” August 2010.
76 MILITARY OFFICER APRIL 2011 Kudos
facesofmoaa
Do you know an MOAA member who is making an impact? To nominate a candidate for “Faces of MOAA,” see the MOAA Directory, page 20.
They come to MOAA with various interests and experiences, and together they make the association strong. Read on to learn more about your fellow MOAA members.
Lt. Col. Lester R. Curtiss, USA-Ret. (Life Member since 1970): Curtiss served 24 years in the Army, including tours dur- ing World War II and the Korean War and two tours in Vietnam.
After retiring in 1970, Curtiss earned a master’s degree and taught in the pub- lic school system for 14 years. Currently, Curtiss supports local Junior ROTC and ROTC cadets as a member of MOAA’s Pikes Peak (Colo.) Chapter.
Col. Kenneth P. Davis, USA-Ret. (Life Member since 2000): Davis joined the Army in 1968 and soon after was commissioned in the Army Signal Corps. His career took him to the Southeastern
Signal School at Fort Gordon, Ga.; Phu Bai, South Vietnam, with the 12th Sig- nal Group; and Da Nang, South Vietnam, as company commander of the Head- quarters Company of the 12th Signal Group. He recently received the John L. Wolfgang Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership in Scout- ing from the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Lt. William Fleming, USN-Ret. (Life Member since 2001): As an attack pilot in the Navy, Fleming was assigned to the VA-212 unit and served two tours aboard the USS Hancock (CV/CVA-19).
In the 1970s, Fleming founded W.S. Fleming and Associates, which later be- came The Fleming Group. He remained CEO and chaired the group’s board until 1994, when a U.S. company purchased The Fleming Group. Since then, Fleming has served as a consultant on cost-eff ective energy-effi ciency in resi- dential, commercial and industrial, and transportation markets.
Lt. Col. John Walker Jr., USAFR-Ret. (Life Member since 1992): Walker served 32 years in the military, with 20 years of enlisted service. After the military, he became executive direc-
tor of Washington County, Idaho, economic development. Walker served fi ve years as city administrator for Weiser, Idaho, and four years as presi- dent of the Weiser City Council. Walker was elected mayor of Weiser in November 2007.
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