chaptersinaction Leading From the Front
MOAA honored its top councils, chapters, and military advocates for their outstanding contributions with Levels of Excellence awards during the association’s 2016 annual meeting in Arlington, Va.
and benefits, local advocacy efforts are more important than ever, said Gen. Charles “Tony” Robertson, USAF (Ret), during MOAA’s Oct. 24 Levels of Excellence award dinner held outside Washington, D.C. “From advocacy to community
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service, our council and chapter leaders — and their members — are involved in some critical programs,” said Robertson, MOAA’s outgoing chair of the board of directors. “When we want something done right … you’re the folks we turn to.” Robertson addressed a crowd of
MOAA council and chapter lead- ers from across the country during the award dinner. More than 120 of MOAA’s top councils and chapters were presented with five-star awards. Another 58 received four-star awards. Across-the-board spending cuts
known as sequestration could re- turn in 2018, leaving servicemem- bers, veterans, and retirees facing spikes in health care costs and resulting in cuts to pay, housing al- lowances, and commissary services. “We need, and we value, our coun- cils and chapters now more than ever before,” said Robertson, who com- pleted his two-year term as chair- man in October. “We are adamantly
ith another round of deep spending cuts
threatening military pay
opposed to balancing the budget on the backs of those who serve and those who have served.” During the ceremony, Robertson
recognized a member who never stops fighting for her troops, a pair of surviving spouses who go beyond the call of duty, and a chapter that amped up its recruiting efforts. Here’s a look at some of their ac- complishments.
Never stop advocating Maj. Michelle Sweeney, ARNG (Ret), says military officers’ responsibility to their troops doesn’t end once they hang up their uniforms. “We have to look out for those be-
hind us,” says Sweeney, vice president of MOAA’s Kaw Valley (Kan.) Chapter. Over the past three years, Swee-
ney’s chapter has organized a “MOAA Hill Day,” when members visit with legislators in the Kansas statehouse. They’ve helped move legislation to allow veterans treat- ment courts to operate in Kansas and extend in-state college tuition rates to all servicemembers and vet- erans and their families. Treatment courts help veterans
struggling with mental health or ad- diction issues stay out of jail, while in-state tuition rates are intended to entice more people to consider staying in Kansas long-term.
“We want people to go to Kansas
and stay and also send their kids to college there,” Sweeney says. “So that was a big one.” She credits every MOAA member
in her state with helping draw atten- tion to those issues. When she returns to Kansas, she plans to present the award from MOAA to her chapter.
Bridging the gap When Barbara Smith’s husband died in 2003, she didn’t want to lose her connection to the military community. “I’ve been military all my life, and it
was something I didn’t want to let go,” says Smith, the wife of a Navy engi- neer and daughter of a retired airman. When her husband’s MOAA Life membership was passed to her, she became active in the Hampton Roads (Va.) Chapter, where she has been instrumental in bridging the gap between members and surviv- ing spouses. She meets personally with spouses who’ve lost their husband or wife, which has led to a 34-percent spike in the chapter’s surviving spouse membership. Robertson presented Smith with
this year’s Surviving Spouse Liaison Excellence Award. Paula Muth, a sur- viving spouse liaison in the Heart- land of America (Neb.) chapter, also was selected as a recipient. Muth, whose husband — an Air Force lieu-
JANUARY 2017 MILITARY OFFICER 49
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