chaptersinaction Warm Welcome
MOAA chapters support local USOs, military welcome centers, and other facilities that act as a home away from home for servicemembers and their families whenever they travel.
T
his department’s main article, “Home Away From Home,” tells a story of MOAA
chapter member involvement in welcoming servicemembers as they travel across the country, head out on deployments, or return home. Thousands of servicemembers and their family members pass through USO lounges and servicemember welcome centers at airports na- tionwide. Many of you have seen or stopped by these centers during your own travels. What you might not know, though, is MOAA chapter members help staff many of these facilities as volunteers who wel- come and take care of servicemem- bers traveling across the country. Helping at these facilities is a
great way to give back to today’s military families and thank them for their service. We still see just 1 percent of Americans serving in the armed forces today. The rest of the country has not been asked to sacrifice in the same ways, and many Americans do not know or understand what it takes to
On the road: This month, Col. Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret., director of MOAA’s Council and Chapter Affairs Department, will visit members of the Lincolnland (Ill.) Chapter. Go to MOAA Calendar, page 76, for the dates.
serve in a military that has faced more than 10 years of war — that isn’t over yet.
Servicemembers passing through
America’s airports are on their way to a deployment or deploy- ment training, are back for much- deserved leave from a combat tour, or are coming home. They need to know America is behind them. So what better way is there than to have some of our own MOAA mem- bers who have “been there, done that” pass along that support to the servicemembers? Chapter members are able to help by making them feel comfortable or by taking care of a small task for them as they travel. MOAA members know full well what it takes to serve in the mili- tary, and they know how service- members want to be treated. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved, and the chapters that par- ticipate could use your help on this — and the many other services and programs our chapters take part in to help their communities and the military community. Are you interested in learn-
ing how you can help? To find an MOAA chapter near you, visit www
.moaa.org/chapterlocator. Or, the next time a chapter member con- tacts you, take him or her up on the offer to attend a meeting or a chap-
42 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2012
ter-sponsored event. You’ll learn a lot about what these members contribute to their local communi- ties and the military community. They are accomplishing a lot, but the needs are great and they can use your help.
— Col. Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret. Director, Council and Chapter Affairs
Home Away
From Home Chapter members meet the needs of traveling troops.
W
hen the USO of North Carolina opened a new travel center at Fayette-
ville Regional Airport in October 2011, Cape Fear (N.C.) Chapter mem- bers were there to help. “The airport travel center is staffed
by volunteers,” says Renee Lane, cen- ter director for USO of North Caro- lina, Fort Bragg and Fayetteville. “We reached out to the Cape Fear Chapter early on, and [its] members have been wonderful about fulfilling shift re- quests at the center.” According to Lt. Col. Arlie Smith,
USA-Ret., Cape Fear Chapter presi- dent, 15 members fill nine four-hour shifts at the new USO travel center.
PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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