Yudu - 2015 07 July

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MOAA Recognizes Defense Supporters

OAA President Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN (Ret), and Chair of MOAA’s Board of Directors Gen. Charles T. Robertson Jr.,

USAF (Ret), presented six supporters of the defense community with the association’s highest awards April 14. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Rep. John B. Larson (D- Conn.) accepted the Col. Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award for their work on repealing COLA re- ductions and enhancing benefits for special-needs children in military families, respectively. “It was really my honor to work on the COLA cuts,”

Ayotte said. “We need to keep our promises to those who have defended our nation.” Larson reminded attendees that less than 1 percent of the nation serves in uniform, adding, “We should do ev- erything feasible as elected representatives in Congress to ensure the men and women who wear the uniform, who serve this nation, get everything that they need — not only while they’re serving but after they leave the service.” MOAA’s Distinguished Service Award, presented to

strong supporters of national defense outside of Congress, went to AT&T Inc., represented by Jamie Rufolo, and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF), represented by John Lowe. AT&T was recognized for being a model Guard/Reserve

employer and for supporting military personnel in the field with tablets and mobile phones. Nonprofit HJF is dedi- cated to advancing military medical research. Brad Bowman, national security advisor to Ayotte, and

David Sitcovsky, legislative director to Larson, received MOAA’s Col. Paul W. Arcari Meritorious Service Award. “Good equipment and training are essential to military

readiness, but they are nothing without quality people,” Bowman said. “If we forget that and fail to give our ser- vicemembers and their families and retirees the pay and benefits and health care they deserve, we will be neglecting our moral duty to them.” The Col. Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership

Award and Col. Paul W. Arcari Meritorious Service Award both are named for significant former MOAA staffers. Marix founded MOAA in 1929 and served as its first presi- dent, while Arcari was the association’s director of Govern- ment Relations for 14 years, retiring in 2001.

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1. Sen. Kelly Ayotte and 2. Rep. John B. Larson, right, receive Marix awards, and 3. Jamie Rufolo of AT&T and 4. John Lowe, from a military medical nonprofit, accept Distin- guished Service awards. 5. Staffers David Sitkovsky, right, and 6. Brad Bowman are recognized with the Meritorious Service Award.

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PHOTOS: STEVE BARRETT