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Please consider becoming an officer or director of the Chapter. The Chapter needs you.

Regards-Jim Dundas

As my last President’s message, I would like to thank the board and all the mem-bers for the opportunity to serve as your President for the last two years. I would like to express my appreciation to all of you for supporting the Chapter and my-self during that time. During the last few years the Chapter has continued to be successful in its achievements. Dur-

ing that period the Chapter has maintained a consistent level of membership and financially the Chapter has done well, steadily increasing the funds in the treasury over that time.

I would like to recognize and compliment George Chamber-lain in managing the scholarship committee and the bingo parlor efforts during the last few years. George and his com-mittee have done a superb job in increasing the level of the scholarship awards to the three area high school students from a single scholarship in the individuals’ first year to a contin-ued scholarship for the entire four years that the student may be in college. This is partly due to the donation given by Bruce Laishley through the Smuggler Enterprises Foundation and George’s committee. Also thanks to those volunteers that work at the bingo parlor during the month. These funds have made significant contribution to the scholarship and Chapter funds. Also, thanks to the many members who have contribut-ed with their renewal dues, their Flag Mess reservations, and the 50/50 raffle to the scholarship funds.

Also, many thanks to Frank Mazur for getting the impressive and interesting speakers at the Flag messes. I am sure we have all benefitted from hearing from the speakers that have spo-ken and made presentations.

And last but not least, many thanks to Jon Shafer for his ef-forts in preparing the MUSTER and for stepping up, despite his own personnel health problems, and serving as the acting 1st VP for the last several months.

Going forward in the coming years I would like to encourage all of you to get more involved with the activities and man-agement of the Chapter. In the recent years there have been difficulties in getting members to fill the officer and board member positions. The Chapter is in need of getting more (and younger) individuals involved and to step forward and assume positions of leadership. I would like to thank some of the new members who have stepped up and taken some of these positions, but we are still in need of more to step for-ward. Without these efforts the Chapter will have difficulties in moving forward as a viable organization in the future.

Vol XXXVIII Issue 9 MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA November 2017

PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS LT James Dundas USN (Ret)

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http://www.moaa.org

(800) 234-6622

Charlotte Harbor Chapter Website

http://chcmoaa.org

Chapter Email: chcmoaa@yahoo.com

2018 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS The membership, at the October Flag Mess, approved the following members to serve as new officers of our

chapter: President: 1LT Frank Mazur

1st VP: Vacant 2d Vice President: Col Charles W Evans USAF (Ret)

Treasurer: LT Travis S Mortimer USN (Ret) Secretary: CDR Gary Harrell USN (Ret)

Membership Secretary: LT James Dundas USN (Ret) The membership also approved the following members

to serve as: : 2019 Board of Directors:

COL Robert M. Dickinson, USA (Ret) LTC Hugh D. Porter, USAR (Ret)

Capt. Jean M. Carr, USAF 2018 Board of Directors

Col. Antonio T Pimentel USAF (Ret) These elected members will be installed at the Novem-

ber Flag Mess

ACTIVE - GUARD - RESERVE - RETIRED & FORMER UNIFORMED SERVICES OFFICERS

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CHARLOTTE HARBOR CHAPTER

THE MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Charlotte Harbor Chapter, Inc.

Post Office Box 511851 Punta Gorda, Florida 33951-1851

President

LT James Dundas USN (Ret)

1st Vice President

MAJ Jon Shaffer USA (Ret)

2nd Vice President

1LT Frank Mazur, USA

Secretary

CDR Gary Harrell USN (Ret)

Acting Membership Secretary

LT Jim Dundas USN (Ret)

Treasurer

LT Travis S Mortimer USN

Immediate Past President

COL Charlie Brox USAR (Ret)

Term Expires 2017

COL Robert M. Dickinson, USA (Ret)

LTC Hugh D. Porter, USAR (Ret)

Capt. Jean M. Carr, USAF

Board of Directors

Term Expires 2018

LtCol Ennis J. Bisbano, USAF (Ret)

Col Charles W Evans USAF (Ret)

CAPT George A. Chamberlain Jr USN (Ret)

Director Emeritus

Lucy Newton ___________________________________________________

Chapter Committees

Auditor Vacant

Chaplain CW2 Charles Meyers

Alternate Chaplain Capt. Jean M. Carr

Historian Maj Kim Foss

Legislative Affairs MAJ Jon Shaffer

Nominating Committee Vacant

Publicity Becky Mingle

Military Bands Lt Col Ennis Bisbano

Military Ceremonies LTC Hugh Porter

NJROTC Naval Science Instructors

PCHS CDR Steven Davis USN (Ret)

CHS VACANT

LBHS CDR Jon Baca USN (Ret)

Handbook LT James Dundas

Newsletter MAJ Jon Shaffer

Mailing LT James Dundas

Personal Affairs COL Robert M Dickinson

Surviving Spouse Vacant

TRICARE CAPT Gene Geronime

Scholarships CAPT Geo. A Chamberlain Jr.

Sunshine Mavis English

CC Veterans Council Capt. Jean M. Carr

CCVC Alternate LT James Dundas

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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

• Graphics — All Muster newsletter graphics contain embedded web links

• Board Meeting Notice — The next Board of Directors’ meetings are 9 November 2017 and 11 January 2018 and at 1700 hours (5 PM), at the Isles Yacht Club Board Room. Board members and committee chairs are requested to attend. Members are welcome.

• Membership — Please pay your 2018 dues. Use the form on page 6. Currently the Chapter has 157 members. Know someone who was a mili-tary or uniformed service officer but not a member of CHCMOAA and MOAA? ASK THEM TO JOIN . Contact Jim Dundas with their name.

• CHCMOAA Name Badges — If you would like a CHCMOAA Name-tag / Badge, you can order it direct from http://www.badgeworksplus.com/moaa-name-badges using styles 1-CN, 1-DN, or 3-BN. Contact Jon Shaffer at the Flag Mess or email him if you have questions.

• Military ID Card Information — MacDill AFB (Site ID 101435), Tel-ephone: (813) 828-6673; Coast Guard Sector, St. Petersburg (Site ID 174794), Telephone (727) 824-7560. Use the RAPIDS Site Locator https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/appj/site, or use https://rapids-appointments.dmdc.osd.mil/(use Site IDs for online scheduling, address, & directions or call). APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED

• CHC MOAA Fund Help us raise funds at Bingo Trail (1700 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte – on US 41 between Cochran and Murdock). Our chapter has earned a significant amount of money for our Scholarship Pro-gram. We need volunteers to count cash for game winners 3 times per month. Volunteers can get free nonalcoholic drinks, purchase food for half price during their shift, and return to play Bingo for half price. We need help as shown below and in the following months since this a year round project. Thanks to our volunteer for the month of September: Larry Ondecker. If you have not done a turn already, please consider volunteer-ing. Contact George Chamberlain at gac1982@hotmail.com or (904) 477-4959. The next few months dates are:

FLAG MESS PROGRAM

4 December 2017

Installation of the 2017 Officers and Directors

Wednesday 1815-2130 Saturday 1145-1400

November 8 FILLED November 4 FILLED & 18 FILLED

December 20 FILLED December 2 OPEN, 16 FILLED & 30

FILLED

USMC TOYS for TOTS

Bring a new and unwrapped toy to the 4 December

Flag Mess to give a child a Merry Christmas!!!

Thanksgiving

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PERSONAL AFFAIRS REPORT COL Robert M. Dickinson, USA-(Ret)

401(k)s and Pre-existing Conditions There are two issues that are part of Con-gressional Deliberations these days regard-ing Income Taxes and health Care Cover-age that may or may not affect you directly, but which you should be concerned about in any case and which you should perhaps

even take action on. These are the 401(k) program within our Income Tax laws and Pre-existing Conditions being debated in the continuing struggle to figure out what to do about health care coverage. 401(k) Plans were a brilliant invention many years ago to provide a retirement savings program for employees of com-panies that could not afford or did not want to deal with the complexities of Defined Benefit or Defined Contributions retirement plans. Of course, 401(k)s worked so well and be-came so popular that many large, profitable companies adopted them too, either as replacements for or additions to their existing retirement plans. Now some congressmen, in discussing how to fund income tax reductions for the middle class, are suggesting cuts in 401(k) plans! Yet the wealthy class doesn’t need a 401(k) plan for its retirement savings and the lower class can’t afford a 401(k) plan, so the 401(k) is a plan for the benefit of the middle class, and here some of our elected representatives want to cut it back! Even though many, maybe most, of us are past worrying about a 401(k) directly, we all still should want our country to be run right. So, I ask that you consider writing your senators and your representative in the strongest terms you can muster, and ask that congress leave the 401(k) plan alone. Pre-existing Condition is a health problem (illness or injury) that occurs to a person who has no health care insurance. This happens in two ways: a person, usually young, who has plenty of money and can afford health insurance, believes he or she will never get ill nor have an accident; or, a person of any age who simply cannot afford health insurance. Now al-most all our congressmen want to include covering pre-existing conditions as part of a replacement for or improve-ment to the ACA (Obamacare). Some confusion must be cleared up here. First, we must be clear about (1) actual health care itself and its high and rapidly growing costs and (2) how you pay for that cost – insurance, welfare benefit, 5 tier hospital billing structures, etc. Second, “Insurance” is the pooling of resources by a group of people to deal with uncer-tain risks – timing of death, illness, accident. The insurance company simply manages the resource pool. Well, a pre-existing condition is not an uncertain risk. I believe pre-existing conditions should be dealt with, but not through in-surance. Let’s consider setting up a separate pre-existing con-dition welfare benefits program, which would require pa-tients to share in the cost of the care according to their in-come. The share would range from zero to 100 percent and could take into account whatever additional factors are deemed appropriate. If you agree with me, again I say, write your congressmen (but take no risks!). …….Bob

SUNSHINE

Do you know of anyone in need of “Sunshine”? Please Send Or Call The Information To Mavis English at (941) 639-3268

TAPS

Lt. Col. Zola Cheevers, USAFR (Ret)

We offer our sympathy and condolences to her family and friends on her passing.

LCDR Howard Dole USN (Ret)

We offer our sympathy and condolences to his wife Sandra, his family and friends on his passing.

Scams & Fraud

State of Florida Scams and Fraud website link is at http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Consumer-Resources/

Si vis pacem, para bellum

"If you wish for peace, prepare for war."

NEW MEMBERS

WELCOME ABOARD

Lt. Col Robert C. Garafalo USAR (Maria)

Mrs. Elizabeth James

Hope to see you at the Flag Mess

Resolute Support Mission—Afghanistan

http://www.rs.nato.int/

SCHOLARSHIP FUND DONATIONS

The chapter would like to thank those members who made donations to the CHC MOAA Scholarship Fund at the last Flag Mess. Your donations allow the chapter to provide scholarships to the Charlotte County High School graduates who are members of JNROTC, a child or grandchild of: (1) an Active Du-ty, Guard or Reserve military parent; (2) a CHC MOAA member in good standing (or in good stand-ing at time of death), (3) a military veteran parent, or (4) students who aspire to military service. Without your donations we would be unable to provide such generous scholarships to worthy students.

October Donations

Norm & Ann Ashworth Earl & Pam Chandler, Zach & Cathy Cummings, Thomas & Anne Marie

D’Abrosca, Bob & Sharyn Dickinson, Cristel Gerdel, Gary & Sandy Harrell, Ray & JoAnn Jasica, Charles

Myers, Bob & Barbara Neitzke, Diane Watson, Christopher & Marilyn Wolf,

Thank You For All Of Your Very Generous

Support

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CHARLOTTE HARBOR CHAPTER

have in years past. TRICARE officials have said the motivation behind these cost share changes in the new TRICARE Select option is to make costs more predictable for beneficiaries. They plan to do this by changing the percent cost share applied to TRI-CARE in the beneficiary's bill (usually 15 percent for active duty families and 25 percent for retirees) to a fixed amount - hence, the claimed predictability. (The head of the Defense Health Agency also will have discretion to change these fees on an annual basis, among other program authorities.) While the exact method DoD used is not clear, I understand DOD derived the new fixed costs from an average of what beneficiaries spend in a variety of outpatient settings. The concern is that the introduction of this new fee struc-ture: raises fees above COLA across most categories of benefi-

ciaries, to support department readiness costs; takes control of setting and then adjusting these fees on an

annual basis without regard to an index or other sup-porting data; and

ignores the 2017 NDAA's grandfathering of beneficiaries, as shown in the way DoD has set up the fee structure be-tween active duty and retired service families.

Many of these new TRICARE Select fees water down any benefit of grandfathering. In most cases, there will be higher fixed fees and cost shares for both retirees and active duty families who choose the new Select option. In many instances, new entrants who join after Jan. 1, 2018, will pay less than current beneficiaries, who should be grandfathered into the earlier, lower fee structure. How can it be that existing grandfathered beneficiaries will pay more for their health care than those newly entering the service? Are grandfathered beneficiaries being saddled with disproportional increases as to cover costs of other pro-grams? Why would DoD unveil these new fees, couched as necessary to stabilize costs, before Congress resolves a de-fense bill and presents it to the president? Not to mention the Senate's version of the pending defense bill, which has its own designs on increasing TRICARE pharmacy copayments. What led DoD and the Senate to change their level of support to serving and retired sevice-members? The concern is that these changes will result in cost increases for many beneficiaries, increases which by-passed open dialogue among military service organizations. Share your concerns with your members of Congress here: http://takeaction.moaa.org/

“All Politics Is Local” Tip O’Neil 1. Legislative Affairs, MOAA 2017 ©

Find Elected Representatives (state & federal) http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

MOAA Legislative Action Center: http://takeaction.moaa.org/

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NATIONAL ANTHEM 36 U.S.C. United States Code, 2011 Edition; Title 36 - PATRIOTIC AND NATIONAL OBSER-VANCES, CEREMONIES, ANDORGANIZATIONS Subtitle I - Patriotic and National Observances and Cere-monies; Part A - Observances and Ceremonies; CHAP-TER 3 - NATIONAL ANTHEM, MOTTO, FLORAL EMBLEM1 MARCH, AND TREE; §301. National an-them

(a) Designation.—The composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.

(b) Conduct During Playing.—During a rendition of the national anthem—

(1) when the flag is displayed— (A) individuals in uniform should give the military sa-

lute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that posi-tion until the last note;

(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute in the manner provided for individuals in uniform; and

(C) all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and

(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.

TRICARE COST INCREASES The Defense Health Agency (DHA) recently released an Interim Final Rule on TRICARE fees taking effect in Jan-uary 2018. Then TRICARE announced its formal TRI-CARE Select implementation requirements related to last year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Without any prompting or open discussion, a new set of higher cost shares and fees unexpectedly appeared. DoD is making an end run late in the budgetary game. This is a manipulative attempt to get more of our money to fund its readiness accounts and other, unspecified pro-grams. As directed in last year's National Defense Au-thorization Act (NDAA), which grandfathered current beneficiaries from increased fees, DoD used its authority as an agency to publish new rules about upcoming TRI-CARE program changes, set to take effect on Jan. 1. they took this as an opportunity to change the cost shares, ef-fectively bypassing the legislated grandfathering. DoD has been relentless in its attempts to have beneficiaries pay disproportional amounts for something they earned with their service and sacrifice. This action by DHA dis-regards that decision and lets down those who are serving or who have served, as well as their families. DoD's health care costs have still been the same or even declined for decades and take up no more of the budget than they

MOAA Legislative Affairs1

MAJ Jon Shaffer, USA (Ret)

USMC — 242 Years 10 November 1775 to

10 November 2017 Happy Birthday

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THE FLAG MESS

Monday, December 4, 2017

Location

Twin Isles Country Club

301 Madrid Blvd.

Punta Gorda, FL 33950

MENU

Beef Wellington with Demi Glaze

Broiled Haddock with a Lemon White Wine

Herbed Butter

Chicken Normandy with Applewood Bacon in a Brandy Cream Sauce

Chef Choice of Sides

Plated Salad with Rolls & Butter

Dessert – Bread Pudding with Cranberry, Walnuts White Chocolate with a Jack Daniels Sauce

Coffee and Tea Service

$27.00

Dress

Gentlemen and Ladies informal dress.

Times

1800 (6:00 PM) Social

1830 (6:30 PM) Dinner

2000 (8:00 PM) Program

RESERVATIONS

(RESERVATIONS NEED TO BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER,

2017; PLEASE ALLOW THREE TO FOUR DAYS AFTER MAILING FOR DELIVERY)

Name(s)____________________________________

CHOICES

Beef Wellington _____________________

Haddock_____________________________

Chicken Normandy ___________________

______@ $27 per person ________________

Scholarship Fund____________________________

Band Fund _________________________________

TOTAL ENCLOSED $____________________

Mail to:

CHCMOAA Dinner

P.O. Box 511851

Punta Gorda, Florida 33951-1851

Please make all payments by checkPayable to

CHCMOAA

Note: Food is ordered according to reservations. Without reservations, we may have difficulty in accommodating you. No guarantees for reservations received after 12:00 PM on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

Note: For Late Reservations to the dinner after November 29, 2017call: Jim Dundas at (941) 575-0703 or email sadnudbull@embarqmail.com Note: Persons with reservations, who are then unable to attend, should call Jim Dundas at (941) 575-0703 to cancel by Thursday Afternoon, November 30, 2017 (thus allowing time for adjustments and possible credit).

The Twin Isles' CC policy is that we will have to pay for the total number of reservations that we call in on Thursday unless we make any cancellations prior to Friday afternoon

Useful Internet Links & Phone Numbers

MOAA Blogs at http://www1.moaa.org/blogs/

MOAA Florida Council of Chapters Newsletter: www.moaafl.org/Communique/Default.aspx

Florida Department of Veteran Affairs www.floridavets.org/ (727) 518-3202

Veterans Administration: www.va.gov 1-(800) 827-1000

Charlotte County Veterans Services: http://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/services/veteran/ (941) 764-5579

Express Scripts Mail Order Pharmacy: www.express-scripts.com/tricare/ 1-(877) 363-1303

TRICARE: www.tricare.mil (South Region) 1-(800) 444-5445

TRICARE for Life www.tricare4u.com 1-(866) 773-0404

DEERS: www.tricare.mil/deers/ 1-(800) 538-9552

milConnect: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/

DOD Benefits (Survivor Benefit Plan): http://militarypay.defense.gov/Benefits/SurvivorBenefitProgram.aspx

Social Security http://ssa.gov 1-(800) 772-1213

Medicare: www.medicare.gov 1-(800) 633-4227

MacDill AFB: http://www.macdill.af.mil/ (813)828-1110

The Muster is published, except for December, July, and August by the Charlotte Harbor Chapter of the Military Officer’s Association of America (MOAA) (FL31) Inc., P.O. Box 511851, Punta Gorda, Florida 33951-1851. Email: chcmoaa@comcast.net The chapter is an IRS 501(C)(19) non-profit, tax-exempt organization affiliated with National MOAA and the Florida Council of Chapters, MOAA, but not associated with the Department of Defense. The chapter is non-partisan and the contents of the Muster articles are the opin-ions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the National MOAA, Florida Council of Chapters, the Charlotte Harbor Chapter (FL31), or the Department of Defense.

© 2017 Charlotte Harbor Chapter, MOAA (FL31)

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." George Santayana

MUSTER ON LINE http://chcmoaa.org

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Punta Gorda, FL 33951 Permit No. 144

2018 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION OR RENEWAL _______ NEW MEMBERSHIP or _______ RENEWAL

CHARLOTTE HARBOR CHAPTER

The Military Officers Association of America A local organization, comprised of retired, regular, reserve, and former officers of the uniformed services. Dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the best interests of Our Country, its uniformed services, our members, their dependents, and their survivors, in every proper manner. Chapter members are requested to have and maintain a national MOAA membership.

Annual Dues are $15.00 ($7.50 for Surviving Spouse/Auxiliary Members) Chapter dues are payable in advance. Please enclose your check

Make Checks payable to: Charlotte Harbor Chapter, MOAA (CHCMOAA)

Please complete the following for our records and mail to : CHCMOAA Membership (For renewals please indicate any changed information.) P.O. Box 511851 Punta Gorda, Florida 33951-1851 ________________ _____________ _________ _______ ___________ __________________ ___________________ Last Name First Middle Int. Rank Service Your Birth Date Spouse’s Name (Ret. If applicable) ______ ______________________ ________ ____________________ _____ _________________ _________________ Number Street Apartment City State Zip Code (9-Digit) Telephone Chapter Dues (Reg-$15/Aux-$7.50) $_______________ ___________________________________________________ Signature Scholarship Donation $___________ ___________________________________________________ National MOAA Number For Band Fund $___________ ___________________________________________________ Email Address Total Enclosed $________________ PLEASE FILL IN ALL BLANKS. THIS IS HOW WE UPDATE THE MEMBERSHIP ROSTER AND THE CHAPTER HANDBOOK

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

November 11th