This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Season of Giving fromtheeditor


I


When servicemembers come home from war wounded, it takes the support of the entire community to help them transition back into their civilian and family lives.


It’s always tough to come up with a new approach for this column — es- pecially in December, a time for cel- ebrating, giving thanks, and presenting gifts. If I don’t say something about the holidays, I guarantee at least one reader will accuse me of being a Scrooge! And I wouldn’t want that. Thinking about the gift-giving tradi- tion of the season, I considered the fact that not all gifts have to be physical ob- jects. Well, sure, I’d like Santa to bring me that iPad 2, but there are many ways to give meaningful gifts. In this vein, I looked at our December feature lineup to see how it might relate to giving. As it turns out, we have a story in this issue about giving. In this case, it’s a gift of hope and a promise of support. And it goes out to a most deserving group — our nation’s servicemembers and especially the country’s wounded warriors and their family caregivers. As an MOAA member, you have helped give hope to servicemembers and their families. The vehicle was Defense Forum Washington (DFW), conducted by MOAA and its partner, the U.S. Naval Institute. This year’s program was “The Journey Back: Helping Wounded War- riors and Their Families Transition.” “Our focus is that the war is not over as


it was in World War I, [when] they got dis- charged [and] were given $30 and a train ticket to go home,” says Maj. Gen. James A. Adkins, ARNG, adjutant general, Maryland


10 MILITARY OFFICER DECEMBER 2011


National Guard. “The war is not over until those individuals are fully integrated back at home with their families, with their friends and their communities, back at work or on the college campuses.” Read a summary of the issues DFW pan-


elists and speakers explored in the story “The Journey Back,” page 66. For more information, a video of event highlights, and a complete transcript of the forum, visit www.moaa.org/dfw. What is the best way to support those transitioning from the military world to the civilian world? Click on “Transition” at www.moaa.org/ discussion or mail MOAA, Attn: Editor, 201 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314, to share your thoughts on the subject. Rounding out this issue, we have anoth- er tribute to our nation’s warriors. “Histo- ry of Heroes,” page 50, is a brief history of the Medal of Honor, as the nation’s high- est military award marks its 150th year. Also, we have to face the fact that the


holiday season has its darker side, as scam artists and identity thieves prey on the unsuspecting. In “6 Keys to Fraud Prevention,” page 56, Frank Abagnale, who was the source of the true-life ad- ventures in the movie Catch Me If You Can, discusses new threats and the ways we can protect ourselves. Happy holidays!


— Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.


PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT


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  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88