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 Military Officers Association of America 
Southern Maine Chapter Newsletter
July 2011
Vol 27 No. 3
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Index (Scroll down through the newsletter or click on a section to go directly there.)
President's Page
May Luncheon Speaker
August Breakfast Speaker
New Officers and Board of Directors
Membership News
5th Annual Military Scholarfship Golf Tournament
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Welcome Aboard
Martin's Point Advisory Council
Maine Miltary Museum
Space A Travel
In Memoriam
Reservations Form
Request Automatic Electronic Version of Newsletter: mcaleer1@gwi.net
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President's Page
President’s Page
As our politicians deal with the
priorities for federal spending and the deficit in our national account, those
of us who serve or have served the nation are in for a challenging time. One way or another, we will be directly
affected by the decisions that will have to be made to balance the country’s
expenditure with revenue – and meet our national security interests. Pay and benefits for active-duty and retired
service members will be part of the mix.
While we don’t mind doing our part, it’s good to know that we have a
strong national MOAA representing our voice in Washington. If you can attend the August 13 brunch,
you’ll get to hear directly from MOAA on how things are going. Col Jim O’Brien, USAF (ret), who is the
Association’s chief financial officer, will be our speaker. I’m sure he’ll give us an interesting, and
first-hand perspective on these important national
questions and the role that our organization is playing in the debates.
I will attend the annual Communications and
Customer Service Conference for
Our May Speaker, Chapter President Colonel Bill Hall
Looking
to the Future of Military Health Care
The speaker at our May brunch was none other than our
Chapter President, Bill Hall. Bill presented a summary of the 2010
health care reform legislation and also talked about the changes coming
or being considered for TRICARE and Medicare.
Regarding the health care reform, Bill reported that the focus of the
changes was on achieving universal coverage, that is, putting everyone
into some type of health insurance. That feature is called the
“mandate” and triggers much of the political opposition. To
achieve universal coverage, Americans will have health insurance
through work, through individual plans (such as for self-employed
people), through plans available in the state “exchanges,” or through
government plans, such as Medicaid and Medicare. All plans will
have to meet certain standards. By 2014, plans will not be
permitted to reject applicants because of medical history, require long
waiting periods, rescind coverage when illness/injury occurs,
etc. TRICARE already meets these standards and, except for now
extending coverage for children until age 26, is largely unaffected by
reform.
The changes coming to Medicare include an increased emphasis on
measures to improve the quality of health care, including payment
incentives for good
August Meeting Speaker, Colonel James O'Brien, MOAA HQ
Have you been enjoying our fine Maine
summer? We hope so. Summers are usually all too short so plan now
to squeeze in our next Quarterly Chapter meeting at the Woodlands Club on
Saturday, August 13th. We
will continue our earlier meeting formats and enjoy a fine Woodlands brunch,
gathering at 9:00 AM. Please note that
our By-Laws have been changed to move up our annual election of new officers
and Board members from November to August.
Accordingly, we will be electing a new slate at this meeting and
installing them at our November Quarterly meeting this year.
We are indeed honored that our speaker
this quarter will be one of the Headquarters Staff from the Military Officers
Association of America, Alexandria, Virginia.
Colonel James O’Brien is a graduate of
Norwich University and holds a master's degree in Systems Management from the
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(President's page cont.)
TRICARE this month in California. I will be speaking to the conference about
the “medical home” initiatives that the various US Family Health Plan programs,
including Martin’s Point, have launched.
While I’m at the conference, I’m sure I will hear plenty of things about
the impact of Defense Department budget decisions on health care for military
beneficiaries. I’ll summarize the key
items in the next issue of our Chapter newsletter.
I’m sorry to report that we have lost one
of our recent Chapter Presidents – Gene Welenteichick, Lt Col, USAF (ret),
passed away in April. Gene was a
steadfast member and leader of our Chapter and very active in the Maine
American Legion as well. Our condolences
go to his wife, Mary Eva, and family.
Bill Hall
Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
President
May Speaker (cont.)
outcomes and financial penalties for care not meeting prescribed criteria.
Changes also include measures to restrain the rapid growth in the cost
of health care for seniors and – through premium levels for
medical/drug coverage tied to income – to raise the price of Medicare
for certain beneficiaries. Payment methods might shift away from
the current fee-for-service model to models based on capitation
(monthly rates paid to insurers or care organizations), patient
experience, and other criteria.
TRICARE, like Medicare, will become more expensive for beneficiaries,
as the Defense Department is pushing Congress to approve fee increases
for retired military using TRICARE Prime. The Department also
proposes to limit enrollment eligibility for the US Family Health
Plan. (See the health care article in this newsletter for more
detail.)
The biggest challenge for now and in the future lies in the rapidly
growing cost of health care. An aging population, the maturing of
the large baby-boomer population, and more expensive medicine all put
an enormous strain on the country’s resources. The health care
reform enacted so far, even assuming it is not overturned in our
tumultuous political environment, is unlikely to be enough to answer
this challenge.
August Speaker (cont.)
University of Southern California. Additionally, he is a graduate
of the Air War College and a senior executive fellow from Harvard
University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. During his
25-year career he served in a variety of financial management positions
at all levels of the U.S.
Air Force, to include four command positions.
His final assignment was Comptroller for the Air Force Reserve, where he
was responsible for nearly five billion dollars annually. Col O’Brien has held several MOAA positions,
including Chief Financial Officer and Director, Educational Assistance Program.
Jim and his wife, Noriko, have two sons, James and Kenny.
Jim will be updating us on a variety
of efforts MOAA is engaged in currently on our behalf. There will be plenty of time for your
questions at the end of his talk. Do
plan to attend.
Reservations Form
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New Officers and Members of the Board of Directors
Our Chapter By-Laws require us to nominate a new slate of officers and
members of the Board of Directors for consideration by our members in
advance of the August meeting. This year the Nominating Committee
has proposed the following, which will be voted upon in August:
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Proposed Officer Slate for 2012 |
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President
Col James A. Vollkommer, USAF
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1st Vice President
LTC John Ham, USA
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2nd Vice President
COL Jim James, USA
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Secretary
Col William E. Hall, USAF
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Treasurer
LCDR Mark S. Patrick, USN
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Immediate Past President
CPT Robert B. Wood, USA
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Board of Directors for 2012-2014
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COL Henry C. Adams, USA
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Maj Reynold A. Moreau, USAF
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Col Douglas J. Scott, USAFR/ANG
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Maj M. Dorothy McGuirk, USAF COL Frank Toderico, ARNG
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Note: Because there have been a number of changes to the whole
Board, we are also including the Directors from each year group.
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Board of Directors for 2010-2012
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1LT Jack Berman, USA
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LTC Howard C. Hanning, USA
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CDR Harry Kinsley, USN
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LT(jg) Mary W. Kinsley, USNR Col Frank J. Toderico, ARNG
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Board of Directors for 2011-2013
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LTC K. Scott Berry, USA
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BG Frank Dillon, USA
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LDCR Paul F. Loveless, USN
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CDR Richard H. Tetrev, USN CAPT Daniel A. Wasneechak, USN
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Membership News
Our annual membership dues drive has gone well again this year.
Through your generosity, we have raised $3,435 for dues, $1,692 in
extra contributions for the General
Fund and $1,765 in donations to the ROTC/JROTC Fund. This year’s
total of $6,892 already exceeds last year’s total of $6,865.
We still have a few folks that we have not heard from. Members of
the Board may be giving you a call with a gentle reminder. As you
may remember, the funds we raise help the Chapter support our
charitable activities.
Also be on the lookout for the latest edition of the Chapter Directory,
which is currently being prepared for mailing. We try our best to
update all your vital information as you give it to us but occasionally
we make mistakes. Contact Col Rob McAleer with any changes that
need to be made.
Welcome Aboard
The Chapter would like to extend a sincere welcome to our newest member:
Colonel John Baker, USA and his wife Jean, from Portland
Thank you for your interest in our Chapter. We look forward to
meeting both of you at one of our future meetings. (Col Rob
McAleer, Membership Chair)
Martin’s Point Military Advisory Council
We should note two significant changes affecting TRICARE beneficiaries: (1) The Department of Defense is likely
to win, for the first time, a round in the fight to push more of the
costs of military health care to beneficiaries. The enrollment
fee for TRICARE Prime for retired service members will go up on October
1 by $2.50 (individual) or $5.00 (family) a month. The fee will
rise annually thereafter by some index. DoD wants that amount to
be medical cost inflation, which would set future increases, on a
relatively fast track. The Congress is mandating using the
consumer price index, which would put the increase in line with the
annual cost-of-living adjustment for military retirees, ameliorating
the impact. DoD will also change co-payments for prescription
medications to encourage use of the mail-order (home-delivery) system
and generics.
(2) Of great concern to Martin’s Point, the Fiscal Year 2012 National
A Visit to the Maine Military Museum
You may have read (in the June 9th
edition of the Portland Press Herald) about the Maine Military Museum
and Learning Center that is being created by veteran Lee Humiston.
Lee Humiston, as members of our Chapter will recall, spoke at a Chapter
meeting last year, describing his efforts to create a museum to reflect
and honor Maine’s military tradition. This work of representing
that tradition is continuing. As expressed in an informative
brochure given to all visitors: “Museum exhibits cover aspect of
Maine’s military service from 1861 to 2008. The primary focus is
on America’s Prisoners of War from our own Civil War to the Vietnam
Space-A Travel
Have you ever thought about traveling aboard a Space Available
Flight? I have used Space-A many times over the years, visiting
Alaska, Spain, England and
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5th Annual Military Scholarship Golf Tournament “Mr. T” Memorial
The Southern Maine Chapter, MOAA, and Martin’s Point Health Care are
pleased to announce the 5th Annual Military Scholarship Golf Tournament
(“Mr. T” Memorial) to be held at Sable Oaks Golf Club, South Portland,
on September 15, 2011. Sign-in and Tee Assignments begin at
7:45. At 8:15 there will be shot-gun start; four player scramble
format; and putting contest qualifier. There will be a buffet
lunch and tournament awards at 1:00.
Cost: $65 individual; $260 (foursome). Registration fee
includes: greens fees with cart; golfer goody bag; lunch buffet,
beverages (beer and wine extra); putting contest cash prize;
hole-in-one prize; men’s closest to pin prize; ladies’ closest to pin
prize; men’s longest drive prize; ladies’ longest drive prize; team
first, second, and third prizes. Sponsorship opportunities
available:
Eagle sponsor ($460—company name on tee or green + four players)
Birdie sponsor ($330—company name on tee or green + 2 players)
Hole sponsor ($200—company name on tee or green, no players).
Contact Col Doug Scott for details or to volunteer to assist with the
tournament (222-2317). Make checks payable to Southern Maine
Chapter, MOAA and send to Doug Scott, 20 Cooper’s Way, Gorham, ME
04038. Funds raised through the “Mr. T” Memorial are used to
purchase textbooks and professional references for senior ROTC students
at the University of Maine and the Maine Maritime Academy. (Col Douglas
J. Scott, Tournament Project Officer)
Martin’s Point Military Advisory Council (cont.)
Defense Authorization Act will likely prohibit the US
Family Health Plan from enrolling any new beneficiary who is 65 or
older. It will also require future members, who enroll in the
plan after a certain date, to disenroll once they turn 65 and to use
Medicare. Current members will be grandfathered and may remain in
the plan for life, if they choose. This eligibility restriction
will have a serious and negative impact on the US Family Health
Plan. It is distressing that members, who are likely to have an
ever greater need for quality health care as they age, will have to
disenroll from what DoD frankly admits is the model military health
care plan. DoD argues that the change will save money, although
the saving will be small and most of the cost of caring for
beneficiaries will simply shift from DoD to Health and Human Services
(Medicare). Maine’s congressional delegation has opposed this
change, but their opposition so far has not been enough to block its
move through Congress. (Col Douglas J. Scott, Medical Affairs
Committee)
A Visit to the Maine Military Museum (cont.)
conflict.” Highlighting the
Vietnam conflict is a recreation of a POW cage at the infamous “Hanoi
Hilton,” which has been viewed by returned POWs, and pronounced
startlingly realistic.
The museum also features enemy and American uniforms and
artifacts, and some small arms. Many uniforms are displayed on
mannequins to increase realism and visibility. The museum is
located at 50 Peary Terrace, South Portland. Summer hours (May 30
–Sep 10), 11am-4pm, Tues-Sunday – closed Monday. Donations are
accepted. For more information, call (207)650-8651. (LTC
Howard Hanning, Chaplain)
Space A Travel (cont.)
Germany. It’s really easy. You just have to
be flexible. Contact the Space-A desk at Pease AFB, NH:
(603) 430-3323 for details. (Maj Dottie McGuirk, USAF)
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In
Memoriam
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LT (jg) Mason Britton, USNR
Southport, Maine
Augusta, 2011
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LtCol Eugene Welenteichick, USAF
Mechanic Falls, Maine
April, 2011
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"We are grateful for your loyal service to the Nation..."
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