FRAtoday January 2022
comunicaitons
FROM THE BRIDGE	3
SHIPMATE FORUM	4
On & Off captol hill	7
FEATURE  STORies	
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS19
SHIPMATE NEWS20
TAPS21
AUXILIARY OF THE FRA23
FINANCE MATTERS25

COMMINICATIONS

USPS Slowing Delivery Times 
On Oct. 1, 2021, the Postal Service implemented new service standards for first-class mail (letters) and periodicals (magazines). These new service standards are supposed to increase delivery reliability, consistency, and efficiency but will take longer. Particularly if you are already experiencing delivery issues or live in a rural location.
The USPS claims that 60% of letter mail and 93% of magazine mail will be unaffected by the new service standard changes. Standards for letters traveling within a local area will continue to be two days.
The postal service will increase time‐in‐transit standards by one or two days for certain mail items that are traveling longer distances. By doing so, the Postal Service can entrust its ground network to deliver more first-class mail, which will benefit their customers by leading to greater consistency, reliability and efficiency.
The service standard changes are part of their comprehensive Delivering for America Strategic Plan and are supposed to improve service reliability and predictability for customers. The USPS has determined that these changes are a necessary step towards achieving their goal of meeting 95% service performance. 
I am learning that in addition to these new supply chain problems that cause printing delays, the delivery times for FRAtoday have drastically increased. For example, most of you received the November issue of the magazine in the first few days of the cover date. I received my November issue on November 15th — a full two weeks later than normal. 
Please be patient and remember you can always read the most recent magazine online at, www.fra.org.

In Loyalty, Protection and Service,
William D. Stevenson, Editor-in-Chief

Tips for Readers
This will not help you receive your mail any sooner but here are some tips for using the USPS.
Plan ahead. For mail or correspondence that requires a deadline, the postal service encourages consumers to plan ahead and send their mail early. You likely wouldn’t wait to mail your mom a Mother’s Day card the day before or on Mother’s Day, so mail your letters and greeting cards early so the postal service can ensure they reach their final destinations on time.
When sending mail long distance, mail early. 
If it would take you more than a day to drive your mail to its destination, make sure to give your long-distance mail some extra time to travel with USPS.

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FROM THE BRIDGE

Welcome Aboard!
As I write my first column, I am not quite sure what I want to say. We just finished our annual FRA National Convention in Spokane Valley, Washington, where I was elected as your national president.  This is truly an honor, to be your national president. Thank you for having the confidence and trust in me to lead our association.  
I was not able to attend the convention in person due to being under doctor’s care for the corona virus, but I did attend via Zoom.  I am happy to say that I am 100% good to go and ready to get out and travel throughout the association. Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers that I received. 
I must say that I would not be where I am today in the FRA if it wasn’t for my dear friend and Shipmate PNP Jim Scarbro. He was my first mentor in the ways of the FRA. There have been many Shipmates who have helped me on my journey.  There was one piece of advice that they all shared with me: “Get involved and stay involved.” They also suggested that I always take the time to listen to a Shipmate.
On Nov. 11, 2021, I attended the Veterans Day observance and the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that was held at Arlington National Cemetery. LA FRA National President Pat Suckow was with me. It was a beautiful day and while I was there, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Brian Thacker, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War — what a humbling experience.   

Honoring the First MCPON
This past January when I served as the National Vice President as well as the Membership & Retention Chairman, I received an email about the USS DELBERT BLACK (DDG-119) from Abe Zino, who was the RPNE/NEng. at that time. He asked if I thought it would be a great thing if the FRA presented the ship with a memorial plaque. After all, Master Chief Gunner’s Mate Delbert Black was the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy as well as a Shipmate of the FRA. 
I reached out to then-PRPSE Don Gibson about the plaque presentation. Gibson said, “I will take it for action.”  He got a plaque made and contacted the ship to present the plaque to its crew. Because of the ship’s schedule, it seemed that it might not happen, but he continued to stay on top of it. 
During the Southeast Midyear Meeting, all in attendance had the opportunity to see this awesome plaque. On Nov. 4, 2021, the plaque was presented by Gibson and PRPSE J.J. Thomas, to the ship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Mark Gallagher.  Also in attendance was a delegation from the ship that included eight 2021 chief selectees.  
Shipmates, in closing, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a very merry Christmas.     
In Loyalty, Protection and Service, 
Jim Campbell 
Jim is the national president of the FRA and may be reached at NP@FRA.org.

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sHIPMATE FORUM

What It Means to Be a Chief
Kudos on your recent article “The Making of a Navy Chief.” I cannot over-emphasize how critical our Chief Petty Officers are to the Navy. May I respectfully add some thoughts?
What does it mean to be a Chief Petty Officer? To me, the Navy cannot function without the Chiefs. My second CO tour required that I stand up a new unit. The first thing I did was to recruit Chiefs, before any officers, before any other enlisted men. Why? Because whether on a sailing frigate or a modern computerized technical marvel, I know, and the Navy knows, that we depend upon the Chief. And why is that? Because a good Chief makes good sailors. A good Chief takes care of his or her people. That may sound simple, but it is the basis for being a Chief. The Chief is the expert, the advisor — to both junior and senior personnel, the model, the conscience, the mother, the manager, the leader. 
Perhaps some of what it means to be a Chief was summed up best by an old friend of mine, a Master Chief, who said the proudest day of his life was when he put on the uniform of the Chief. And that uniform is unique. Only the Navy recognizes how special its senior enlisted leaders are. So, it treats them differently. Perhaps, this, too, is reminiscent of the days sailing ships and their long-isolated deployments, but even with today’s instant communications and airborne supply capability, the fleet depends very much on those aboard ship. Their knowledge, their expertise, their leadership. And so, only the Navy singles out its senior enlisted members by having them shift to officer khaki, by evaluating them with a more stringent set of officer criteria, by selecting them for promotion to Chief by the same rigorous selection board process as is used for commissioned officers. The Navy has even named a ship for these leaders, the USS CHIEF (MCM-14) to honor the men and women who serve so well as Chief Petty Officers.
 For me personally, I cannot imagine a Navy without Chiefs. And much like my friend the Master Chief, the most cherished award I received from the Navy was not the medal I got when I retired. It was when two Master Chiefs came up to me near the end of the ceremony and read a letter from the MCPO of the Navy Reserve authorizing them to make me an honorary Master Chief as they pinned the collar devices on my uniform. It was a great privilege to be recognized as a member of that select group of people called Chiefs. May we all aspire to that honor.
 Very respectfully,
CAPT Ken Morgan, USNR (Ret.)

Making Chief in 1973
As usual I always find an article in your magazine that I find interesting and enjoy reading. The article about making a chief shows that there has been a great change in the process of becoming a chief. I know when I made chief there was no formal induction, mental and physical trials, or charge books.
I made chief in 1973. At that time if you wanted to “make chief” you started preparing yourself right after you made first class. Your first task was to turn yourself into a 4.0 sailor in all the aspects that were addressed on your performance evaluations. Take steps to assume more responsibility than what is expected of you and enhance your leadership skills. Another aspect was to “hit the books.”  The various chief’s manuals that were available were a wealth of information both for the technical aspects of your rate and the professional aspects of the rank.
After you make chief there is still an incline in the road ahead. It’s called Senior Chief and Master Chief, and when you leave the service, you will have many memories that you will carry through the years.  Some better than others.
One of my favorite memories is when I found out that I made chief. I had the after brow watch on the USS CORAL SEA. Another first class came up to the brow to leave the ship and he asked me “did you hear about that damn Womeldorff?” I asked him “what about him,” he told me He Made Chief! I asked him where he heard it and that he better not be sh++++g me because I was Womeldorff. He turned around and took off and came back a couple minutes later with the promotion list in his hand. That was the best list I ever read. Another memory is when I went to the personnel office to get my new ID card. When the personnel guy handed me the card, he told me “Here you go chief.” That sounded so good I had him do it a second time. Another thing I found out was that nobody could remember my name anymore. So they just called me chief. And I really didn't mind.
Many of the professional aspects and managerial techniques have carried over and had direct results in my civilian life. And I feel that overall, it is a most positive part in all of my undertakings.
SCPO Gregory Womeldorff, USN (Ret.)   

2022 FRA Calendar:  April Photo
Though a skimmer sailor at heart, I was attached to SUBLANT for 11 years in AS-33, AS-34, and AS-40.
I have never gone to sea on a submarine though serviced many over those years.
I am likely not the first nor last to notice the hull and sail pictured bear no resemblance to USNS COMFORT.
Yup, I know the internal discomfort….. but we roll with it and move on. Keep fighting the good fight.
ETC Merle G. Knapp, USN (Ret.)

October FRAtoday Features
I want to compliment your editor on the October issue of FRAtoday. I read it all the way through. The well-written article on Navy Seals kept my attention and the story on Coast Guard heroes was a first for me. I pride myself on being in the know, but I never knew about Signalmen Munro and Evans. Finally, the last story on the new museum in Northern California leading the way in heralding the heroes of the Cold War and the War on Terror.
JOC Jim Quirk, USNR (Ret.)

October Magazine and Calendar
Happy October, Bill!  Thank you for another beautiful issue of FRAtoday, the October 2021 issue of which I received 10-01-21 in the mail. I especially appreciated reading the article on SM1 Douglas Munro, whose heroism we Coasties and Marines celebrate each 27 September. I was excited to receive with FRAtoday my copy of the FRA 2022 calendar.  It too is beautiful as usual, especially with its cover displaying a Coast Guard 29-footer. I note the April 2022 photo may not match the photo caption. The photo appears to be that of a submarine, but the caption refers to USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20). Can you clarify?  
Thanks.  LPS, 
MCPO Mark H. Allen, USCGR (Ret.)

2022 Calendar
Today, I received my copy of FRAtoday with the 2022 calendar included. Thank you for that.  However, I’m sure that I am not the only one to notice the obvious error in the caption under the photo for the month of April. The caption mentions the USNS COMFORT as it provided medical assistance during the height of the pandemic in New York in 2020. However, the photo is of crewmen aboard a Submarine.
Thank you,
EMCS (SS) Edward G. (Jerry) Donohoe, USN (Ret.)

Letters published in Shipmate Forum reflect the opinions and views of individual FRA members. They do not reflect the position of the FRA. The FRA is not responsible for the accuracy of letter content. To Submit letters to FRAtoday for consideration, please send them to: 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314 or to fratoday@fra.org.

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ON AND OFF CAPITOL HILL

Celebrating 2021’s Legislative Successes  
As you get this issue of FRAtoday, Congress will be starting the second year of the 117th Congress. It’s an election year with a third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives up for reelection. As FRAtoday goes to press, Congress has not completed its work on the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4350) or on spending bills for FY2022, which started on Oct. 1, 2021. Because Congress did not pass any bills to fund government operations by the beginning of the new fiscal year, they passed a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open for business. This short-term measure does not add any new programs and keeps spending at last year’s levels. 

Despite the difficulty of getting bills through Congress, the FRA maintains a strong and creditable presence on Capitol Hill and achieved several legislative successes during the last calendar year. These include:  
•	No additional TRICARE fee increases in either the House or the Senate NDAA.
•	The introduction of several concurrent receipt reform proposals (H.R.303, H.R.333, H.R.1282, S.344, and S.1147).
•	The filing of Sen. Jon Tester’s and Rep. Gus Bilirakis’s concurrent receipt floor amendments for their chambers’ versions of the FY2022 NDAA.
•	The introduction of the Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act (H.R. 2214, S. 1669) in the House and Senate (first time in the Senate), which would authorize the retention of the full final month's retired pay by the surviving spouse (or another designated survivor) for the month in which the service member was alive for at least 24 hours.
•	The introduction of comprehensive veterans toxic exposure bills in the House and Senate              (H.R.3967, S.3003).
•	The inclusion of a delay of proposed drastic cuts to military medical staff in the House version of the NDAA.
•	Inclusion of an active-duty annual pay increase in the House and Senate NDAAs that keeps pace with civilian pay increases (2.7%).
•	A requirement for the Defense Department to pay a basic needs allowance to qualified service members in both the House and Senate NDAAs. 
•	A requirement in the Senate NDAA that DFAS provide 90 days of notice before stopping or suspending retirement pay and SBP payments.
•	The inclusion of $25 billion in additional Defense spending above the administration’s request in both the House and Senate versions of the NDAA.

Congress tends to respond to those who are organized. Shipmates communicating regularly with their elected officials enhances the work of the FRA Legislative Team. The FRA Action Center located on the FRA website (www.fra.org) is an effective and user-friendly method of communicating with your elected officials. The Action Center provides pre-written messages either supporting or opposing legislation that Shipmates can edit and send to their elected officials in Washington. 

Grassroots advocacy has a direct influence on the association’s ability to effectively represent your concerns before Congress and appropriate federal agencies. We are thankful for all of the Shipmates who took the time to contact their legislators in 2021, and we look forward to your continued partnership in advocating for sea service members, veterans and their families this year. 

NDAA Slows Down in Senate
Progress on the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R.4350) slowed as Senate leaders attempted to expand the scope of the bill to include trade policy with China. There were 945 Senate floor amendments filed for consideration. As FRAtoday goes to press, votes on hundreds of amendments are expected. Several of these amendments are supported by the FRA. These amendments include: 
•	Sen. Jon Tester’s (Mont.) amendment with the provisions of the Major Richard Star Act (S.344), which would expand concurrent receipt to include Combat-Related Special Compensation, or CRSC, beneficiaries who are medically retired with less than 20 years of service.
•	Sen. Rob Portman’s (Ohio) amendment with the provisions of the Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act (S.1669), which would authorize the retention of the full final month’s retired pay by the surviving spouse for the month in which the service member was alive for at least 24 hours.
•	Sen. Lankford’s (Okla.) amendment repealing the 180-day delay for military retirees applying for Defense Department civilian positions at pay grades GS-13 and below. 
•	Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s (Conn.) amendment that would require a joint report from the DOD and the VA to designate the next national cemetery that would afford full military honors as Arlington National Cemetery reaches capacity, and would also direct the DOD to not change ANC eligibility until after the report is submitted.
•	Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s (Conn.) amendment that would prohibit forced arbitration provisions in financial contracts for service members and would prohibit the use of arbitration in re-employment disputes for reserve component members.

The House already passed its version of the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act. Once both chambers pass their versions of the NDAA, a conference committee will be appointed to resolve the differences and create a final bill. This bill will be voted on by each chamber and if approved, will be sent to the president to be signed into law or be vetoed. Members are strongly urged to use the FRA Action Center located on the website (www.fra.org) to weigh in on these Senate amendments.  

Medicare Costs Increase in 2022
For 2022, Medicare premiums will increase an average of 14.5%. That means the average Medicare user will pay $170.10 monthly, a $21.60 increase from the 2021 average monthly premium of $148.50. Medicare is the federal government health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older, as well as some people with disabilities under age 65. 

Members with TRICARE coverage are eligible for Medicare when they reach age 65. Beneficiaries must enroll in Medicare parts A and B before they turn age 65, even if they currently have TRICARE or some other insurance coverage. If a beneficiary does not enroll in Medicare when first eligible, they will have to pay penalties or higher rates when they do enroll.

When a TRICARE beneficiary enrolls in Medicare, they are automatically enrolled in Tricare for Life, a no-cost Medicare wrap-around insurance package that pays for some things Medicare does not cover. TRICARE for Life also provides the option for beneficiaries to continue to use TRICARE’s pharmacy program.

House Passes Veterans Legislation
The House recently passed several veteran s proposals, including: 

•	The VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act (H.R.4591), which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress quarterly reports that evaluate the performance and cost of the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
•	Legislation (H.R.5671) that would authorize the VA to furnish seasonal flu shots to veterans, caregivers and spouses who would otherwise not be eligible during the COVID-19 pandemic.
•	The VITAL Assessment Act (H.R.5516), which would require the VA to report on the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership, or VITAL, program and establish uniform best practices across VA medical centers for this support program for student veterans who struggle to adjust.
•	The Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act (H.R.4233), which would require the VA to provide counseling services to veterans and service members who receive VA education benefits.
•	The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act (H.R.2433), which would   allow designated survivors to record the cause of death for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who may have been exposed to toxic chemicals from open-air burn pits in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. 
•	The VA AIM Act (H.R.4626), which would require the VA to contract with one or more private sector entities, at least once every decade, to conduct independent assessments of the VA’s health care services.  
•	The Protections for Student Veterans Act (H.R.5603), which would prohibit academic institutions from penalizing service members who take a leave of absence or withdraw from a program due to military service and would modify flight training benefits for veterans.
•	The BRAVE Act (H.R.147), which would require the Labor Department to provide information on registered apprenticeship programs to members of the armed services separating from active duty and their spouses. The bill also would direct the department to coordinate with the VA to establish or update an existing public website with information on registered apprenticeship programs that are eligible for VA education benefits. 
•	Legislation (H.R.3730) that would require the VA to establish an Advisory Committee on U.S. Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States to counsel the VA on serving veterans from U.S. territories and other insular areas. The committee would submit an annual report to the VA and Congress on recommendations for change. 
•	The VA Infrastructure Powers Exceptional Research Act (H.R.5721), which would codify the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Research and Development as well as expand the VA’s ability to contract for research and development, and to retain and recruit researchers. 

These House proposals went to the Senate for further consideration. The following bills passed both the House and the Senate:
•	The Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act (S.1095), which would discourage public institutions of higher learning from charging those eligible for the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program more than the in-State tuition rate by withholding VA approval for such programs.  
•	The Protecting Moms Who Served Act (S.796), which would implement a maternity care coordination program  and require a Government Accountability Office report on maternal mortality and perinatal health conditions among veterans. 
•	Legislation (S.1031) requiring the GAO to study whether or not disparities exist in the determination of VA benefits eligibility and disability ratings based on race or ethnicity. 
•	The Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act (S.894), which would require the VA to ask the DOD to refer military health care workers for job openings at the VA. 

These bills have been sent to the president to be signed into law or vetoed.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Signed Into Law
A bipartisan infrastructure bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L.117-58), has been signed into law by President Biden. The law includes the following provisions:
•	Providing $110 billion to repair highways, bridges and roads.
•	Authorizing $39 billion to expand public transit, improve access for people with disabilities, buy low-emission buses and reduce the public transit repair backlog.
•	Providing $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations and $5 billion for electric and hybrid school buses.
•	Allotting $65 billion for measures to protect the electric grid against power outages and make it  more environmentally friendly. 
•	Spending $25 billion to improve airports.

A larger infrastructure proposal, the Build Back Better Act (H.R.5376) has passed the House, but its prospects in the Senate are uncertain.     

Ad Council and VA Work to Reduce Veteran Suicides
The Department of Veterans Affairs and The Ad Council recently launched a new national campaign called “Don't Wait, Reach Out” that includes public service announcements to encourage veterans to reach out for help before their challenges become overwhelming. The campaign announcement noted that suicide is preventable, and the veteran suicide rate was 52% higher than that of nonveteran adults in 2019. 

The PSAs direct veterans to VA.gov/Reach, a website that makes it easier for veterans to find guidance and support services from across the full breadth of the VA's offerings. The user-friendly experience invites veterans to identify the specific life challenges they may be struggling with, like trouble sleeping or financial stress, then serves up the appropriate resources for their unique needs. The FRA supports improvements to VA and Department of Defense suicide prevention programs to reduce the rate of suicide among veterans and active-duty service members.

Prostate Cancer Threat to Veterans
The FRA, a member of the Toxic Exposures in the American Military (TEAM) Coalition, has signed onto a joint letter supporting the Veterans’ Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act (H.R.4880). The letter notes that prostate cancer is the No. 1 cancer diagnosed by the Veterans Health Administration. According to the VA Office of Research and Development, more than 500,000 veterans are receiving treatment for prostate cancer within the VHA, with more than 15,000 new diagnoses annually. Over 16,000 of those VHA-treated veterans have metastatic prostate cancer. There is a need to standardize treatment across the VHA by implementing a comprehensive, system-wide clinical pathway for prostate cancer treatment. 

Studies have shown that prostate cancer develops more frequently in men exposed to Agent Orange. The VHA has established it as a presumptive condition, thus qualifying exposed veterans for full disability benefits. 

The need to enhance research for this disease is clear as the number of diagnosed veterans continues to rise. The legislation would require the VHA to establish a clinical pathway for prostate cancer treatment and to expand VHA research efforts related to screening, diagnosis and treatment options. The VHA must promote veteran prostate cancer awareness, standardization of diagnosis and treatment, expanded educational resources, and continued research.

Members are urged to go to the FRA Action Center (www.FRA.org) to ask their representatives to support this legislation. 

VA Extends Gulf War Presumption
The Department of Veterans Affairs has extended the presumptive period to Dec. 31, 2026, for qualifying chronic disabilities rated 10% or more that have resulted from undiagnosed illnesses in veterans of the Gulf War. This is meant to ensure the benefits established by Congress are fairly administered. If the extension had not been implemented, service members whose conditions arose after the previously-established end date of Dec. 31, 2021, would have been substantially disadvantaged compared to service members whose conditions manifested earlier.

Limiting entitlement to benefits due to the expiration of the presumptive period would be premature given that current studies remain inconclusive as to the causes and times of onset of illnesses suffered by Gulf War veterans. 

The VA presumes certain medically unexplained illnesses are related to Gulf War service without regard to cause, including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Also included are undiagnosed illnesses with symptoms that may include, but are not limited to, abnormal weight loss, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, headaches, menstrual disorders, neurological and psychological problems, skin conditions, respiratory disorders, and sleep disturbances.

Gulf War veterans who are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above or other unexplained medical issues are encouraged to file a claim. Interested Shipmates can learn more at www.benefits.va.gov/persona/veteran-gulfwar.asp .

President Biden Nominates Navy Admiral T o Be the Next Vice Chairman of the JCS
Adm. Christopher Grady has been nominated to be the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The admiral is currently serving as commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia, while also carrying out the duties of Joint Force Maritime Component Commander Europe and the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Strategic Command . The previous vice chair, Air Force  Gen. John Hyten, retired Nov. 20, 2021, leaving a gap on the Joint Chiefs of Staff until the Senate confirms Grady.
 
P rior to serving as commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Grady held four leadership positions simultaneously : commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces Africa, and commander of the United States 6th Fleet.. Grady was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and raised in Newport, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of Notre Dame University and was commissioned an ensign through the Navy Reserve Officers’  Training Corps program in 1984. He currently holds the title “Old Salt,” conferred upon the longest-serving surface warfare officer on active duty in the U.S. Navy. 

FRA Recognizes Four Important Anniversaries in November  
Nov. 11, 2021, marked the 103rd anniversary of the armistice ending the First World War on Nov. 11, 1918, now recognized as Veterans Day. It is a long-standing tradition for many FRA Shipmates to participate in Veterans Day ceremonies across the country. This November 11th, the FRA also celebrated its 97th birthday. Additionally, the Marine Corps recognized its 246th birthday on Nov. 10, 2021. The FRA thanks members for their service in defending our nation and for their continued membership.  

Nov. 11, 2021, also marked the 100th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. For the first time in nearly 100 years, and as part of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemoration, the public was able to walk on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Plaza and lay flowers in front of the tomb on Nov. 9 and 10, 2021. FRA National President James W. Campbell and LA FRA National President Pat Suckow participated in the ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, including the special wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  

FEATURE  STORY

A Legacy in Steel
Four Stories of Service Honored in the U.S. Navy’s Fleet

By Ann Norvell Gray

As every Shipmate knows, the Secretary of the Navy is responsible for the naming of the Navy’s ships, and the process is guided by a set of rules. Except for sometimes, that is, when the rules are jettisoned and something else happens. Modern aircraft carriers, according to the rules, are to be named for U.S. presidents, and most of them are, but the namesake discussed here for CVN-81 was a valiant but low-ranking hero of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Destroyers are named after members of the sea services who have died, and one in our story is a rear admiral who died four months before the ship bearing her name was ordered, but the other was a hero of an Army combat team. Expeditionary sea bases are meant to be named for people or places of importance to the U.S. Marines, which often equates to long-serving leaders, but in this case the fallen hero is an 18-year-old who served for less than 18 months. Join us as we explore the stories of outstanding service behind four exceptionally named Navy ships. 

USS DORIS MILLER (CVN-81)
To Be Launched in 2029	
Doris Miller was born in 1919, the son of a Waco, Texas, sharecropper. His mother already had three sons, was convinced before his birth that he was going to be a girl, planned to name him Doris and stuck to the plan.  The dutiful young fullback dropped out of high school at age 17 to help his family, and applied to the Civilian Conservation Corps, where he was turned down. So in 1939, he joined the Navy, partly to help support his family, and partly to see the world. 

In a widely published photograph of the solid young 6-foot-3-inch sailor, “Dorie” bears a striking resemblance to the actor John Amos as Adm. Percy Fitzwallace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, in NBC’s series “The West Wing.” But this was the 1930s. Jim Crow laws influenced policy across the country, and Miller’s assignment as a mess attendant was one of the few ratings available to African American sailors.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Miller was serving aboard the dreadnought battleship USS WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48), berthed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. When the Japanese attack began, Miller hustled onto the deck and began carrying wounded sailors away from their exposed positions. His energy and strength were noted, and he was dispatched to rescue the grievously injured captain. When the captain refused to be evacuated, Miller manned a Browning anti-aircraft gun on which he had never been trained and fired at the diving Zeros until he ran out of ammunition. Asked later about how he managed it, he said, “It wasn’t hard. I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine.”1  He is credited with bringing down two of the attacking planes.

The battleship’s deck was pierced by bombs and it took five torpedoes to its port side. Even after the order came to abandon ship, Miller continued hauling injured crewmen clear of the fiery, oil-slicked water. His exceptional courage and tireless dedication to his fellow sailors was described in news bulletins that neglected to mention him by name. 

But apparently the officers and crew reported his selfless courage, and in April of 1942, he was given a commendation by Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox. Then in May, Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz awarded him the Navy Cross. At the presentation aboard the carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), Nimitz said, “This marks the first time in this conflict that such high tribute has been made in the Pacific Fleet to a member of his race and I'm sure that the future will see others similarly honored for brave acts.”

In the spring of 1943, Miller was aboard the new USS LISCOME BAY (CVE-56) in the Gilbert Islands. A torpedo struck, the aircraft bomb magazine exploded, and Doris Miller and 645 other members of the 918-man crew went down with the ship. He was 24 years old. Thirty years later, a Knox-class escort ship was named USS MILLER (DE-1091) in his honor. It was later reclassified as a frigate and remained in service until 1991. Now, this remarkable young sailor’s valor will be honored again in the name of the Navy’s fourth Gerald Ford-class carrier. 
USS DORIS MILLER (CVN-81) will be the first carrier to carry the name of an enlisted sailor, and the first named for an African American. The Navy’s official naming announcement was made at Pearl Harbor on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2020. In August of 2021, six members of Miller's family were in attendance for the First Cut of Steel ceremony, which signaled the first steps in the construction of the ship. The carrier is scheduled to launch in 2029. 

USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG-118)
Commissioned Dec. 8, 2021
Daniel Inouye was born and raised in Hawaii, the son of a Japanese immigrant father and a Japanese American mother. The young Hawaiian had every intention of going to medical school and becoming a doctor. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he was 17 years old, and worked with the Red Cross as a medical volunteer.2   Then in 1943, when the U.S. Army rescinded its prohibition against allowing people of Japanese descent to serve, the segregated, Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team was activated. Inouye withdrew from his pre-med classes at the University of Hawaii and signed on as a medic. 

The 442nd was one of the fiercest units in the U.S. Army. For its dedication and effectiveness in Italy and France during WWII, this combat team became the most decorated regiment of its size and term of service in the nation’s military history. By 1945, Inouye’s courage had earned him a battlefield promotion to second lieutenant. In April of that year, while leading a flanking attack on a heavily defended ridge in Italy, the young officer was gravely injured, losing half his right arm to a German rifle grenade. Despite his terrible wounds, he launched a grenade of his own and blew up a bunker before collapsing and being carried off by his troops. At the end of his service in 1947, he went home a captain, taking with him numerous awards and citations, including a Bronze Star and a Distinguished Service Cross, which was upgraded in 2000 to a Medal of Honor.

The loss of Inouye’s arm put an end to the plan to become a surgeon. Instead, he studied political science and law, and in 1953 ran successfully for a seat in the Hawaiian territorial House of Representatives. Four years later, he was elected to the territorial Senate. When Hawaii became a state, he became his home state’s first member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1962, he ran successfully for the U.S. Senate, and there he stayed until his death in 2012. Inouye was the second-longest serving senator in congressional history, and he is best known and most widely respected for his long years of service to the state of Hawaii and to the nation. 
In 2010, Ron Mizutani of Hawaiian news station KHON2 asked the 86-year-old senator about his plans to run for a ninth term. 

“I have told my staff and I have told my family that when the time comes, when you question my sanity or question my ability to do things physically or mentally, I don’t want you to hesitate, do everything to get me out of here,” said Inouye. “Because I want to make certain the people of Hawaii get the best representation possible.”
 When the guided-missile destroyer USS DANIEL INOUYE (DDG-118) arrived in Hawaii for its commissioning at Pearl Harbor, the crew manned the rails, and the new ship sailed through the islands in honor of his service.  

USS MIGUEL KEITH (ESB-5)
Commissioned May 8, 2021
It seems odd that the process of deciding whose name to give to a new Navy vessel would lead to the choice of a Marine lance corporal who went into an active war zone for only six months. So there must have been something about Miguel Keith, a boy of 18 from Omaha, Nebraska. Keith was born in Texas in 1951, and when he was quite young the family moved to Nebraska in search of work. They settled in a tough neighborhood, where Miguel developed a reputation for courage on the streets, duty to his responsibilities and fierce loyalty to his friends. No one was surprised when he joined the Marines and volunteered for service in Vietnam. In September of 1969, he received his orders.

The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s account of his brief deployment is entirely consistent with what his family and friends knew to be his nature: 
“As a Private First Class, Miguel Keith … had volunteered for [the] Combined Action Program, an innovative method of fighting the Viet Cong insurgency in the villages of South Vietnam. … During the day, the Marines organized and trained the village militia to defend their village, taught school and helped with the rice harvest. The Navy Corpsman assigned with them provided medical care to the villagers. The Marines found that with proper training the militia were fierce and loyal fighters, and together the Marines and the Provisional Force were able to prevent the Viet Cong from preying upon the villages at will.

“On May 8, 1970, the enemy assaulted the village. ... Miguel was wounded by shrapnel. They were able to repel the attack, and although badly wounded and bleeding heavily, Miguel checked the men in the other defensive positions. The enemy attacked again and … he left the fighting hole and stood in the open with a machine gun and repelled two more waves before being wounded with more shrapnel from a grenade. He continued to fire on the enemy until most of them fled. As LCPL Keith attempted to return to the fighting position, a straggler shot him in the back.”

That final wound proved to be fatal. On Sept. 9, 1971, Keith was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions.

The 785-foot expeditionary sea base that bears his name was commissioned in San Diego in May of 2021. Before the assembled crowd, which included two of Miguel’s brothers, Adm. Craig S. Faller gave three pieces of advice to the ship’s crew: Never give up, never doubt your ability to get the mission done, and be of service to something bigger than yourself.3 He might just as well have said, “Follow the example of the young Marine who is honored on this day.”

USS HOPPER (DDG-70)
Commissioned Sept. 6, 1997
Once in a while, a person with an unusual aptitude, a strong presence and a creative vision appears in the world, and human progress steps on the gas. Grace Brewster Murray Hopper was just such a person. She was born in 1906 in New York City to a prosperous, academically engaged family who encouraged her early interest in engineering. When she was 7, her mother went out for a few hours and returned to find that her inquisitive little girl had collected and dismantled seven clocks. Unusually for her generation, Hopper headed for Vassar in 1924, graduated with a degree in mathematics and physics, and went on to a master’s in math from Yale. A thesis entitled “The Irreducibility of Algebraic Equations” submitted to Yale earned her a Ph.D. at 27, followed by a position on the Vassar faculty. 

After Pearl Harbor was attacked, despite being too skinny for her height, Hopper maneuvered around a number of initial barriers and joined the Navy Women’s Reserve. And despite being considerably older than her fellow officer candidates, she graduated first in her class at the Naval Reserve Midshipman School in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

Hopper was off to the races. Her first assignment deposited her in the Computation Laboratory at Harvard, where the electromechanical Mark I computer built by IBM was making its calculations using punch cards. This was the place where a now-famous moth flew into a relay and shut it down, necessitating the “debugging” of the machine. Hopper’s notebook contains a yellowed piece of cellophane tape under which the celebrated bug is entombed for posterity.

It is impossible to describe adequately here the scope of Hopper’s importance to the development of the digital world on which we now depend. The long list of her accomplishments begins with the invention of the first compiler, her collaboration in the creation of COBOL, and her adamant insistence on devising and maintaining industry standards for computer language, enabling each member of the rapidly growing population of hardware to run programs built on any other machine — and it continues for the rest of her life.

In March of 1983, after nearly 40 years of making indispensable contributions to the computer revolution in the rarified air of the nation’s engineering and mathematical elite, Hopper burst into the public consciousness in a segment of CBS’s “60 Minutes.” At the end of the segment, Morley Safer noted that if she had gone into private industry, Hopper would probably be a very rich person. Hopper replied, “I’ve already received the highest award I’ll ever receive, no matter how long I live, no matter how many more jobs I may have, and that has been the privilege and the responsibility of serving very proudly in the United States Navy.” When Safer asked if she was glad it was the Navy instead of another branch of service, she was quick to respond, “Well, it had to be the Navy, because my great-grandfather was a rear admiral — besides which, I like blue.” 

Four Different Ships, Four Different People
It seems that the rules for the naming of ships are actually guidelines, and the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy allows for considered exceptions when something different is a better idea. These four ships’ names honor individuals of four ethnicities, two genders, three military services, and the entire range of American privilege, education and rank. The differences are secondary to the achievements of these four individuals, and show that the honors we bestow reflect the diversity of the nation that America’s sea services are sworn to protect and serve.       

Footnotes
1. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/biographies-list/bios-m/miller-doris.html
2. Associated Press (Chicago), “Keynoter Knows Sting of Bias, Poverty,” St. Petersburg Times, Aug. 27, 1968.
3. https://timesofsandiego.com/military/2021/05/08/teen-marines-warrior-spirit-saluted-at-commissioning-of-the-uss-miguel-keith/

FEATURE STORY

The USS PALOS Sails Into Service
Remembering the Career of the First American Warship to Sail the Suez Canal
By Jessica Brodkin Webb
When the USS PALOS set out to make history as the first American warship to transit the Suez Canal, the Signal Service of the U.S. Army had not yet given the first official Boston Weather Bureau indication from the Old State House. Although the early summer weather on June 20, 1870, is lost to history, one can picture the USS PALOS launching out into the Atlantic Ocean on a snappy morning, ready to traverse the Mediterranean Sea before taking two days to pass through the Suez Canal in an adventure far from where it started.
Built by James Tetlow Boiler and Iron Ship Building Works in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the first USS PALOS was completed in 1865. With the American Civil War drawing to a close, international trade took on new life as the nation found its footing through reconstruction. Although its first few years were spent as a yard tug at the Boston Navy Yard, essentially serving as a local workhorse, the iron PALOS was converted to a gunboat in 1869 and commissioned on June 11, 1870, with Lt. C.H. Rockwell in command.
At just over 165 feet long, the ship had a beam of about 25 feet and could reach 12.25 knots. It is not to be confused with the second USS PALOS (PG-16/PR-1), which was built in 1913 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and also patrolled Asian waters. The first USS PALOS was somewhat prophetically named for Palos de la Frontera, the Spanish port where Christopher Columbus began his voyage to the Americas, a promising name for a boat that would ultimately help make history. 
Not unlike Columbus, the USS PALOS also embarked on an unfamiliar voyage — passing through the newly built Suez Canal from Aug. 11-12, 1870. The Suez Canal, a man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, was a symbol of international trade as well as a source of international discontent from the moment it opened in 1869.
A Canal for the Centuries
Although the idea of an oceanic passageway had intrigued traders for centuries, the seemingly different levels of water elevation appeared incongruous until early 19th-century surveys revealed it might be possible to construct a canal. Creating the watery route, with its potential to supplant long and complicated overland trade routes, was broached in 1830 by the French with support from Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, which both stood to gain from the development.
While the concept of an international passageway appears to stand for respectful trade between wealthy nations, the Suez Canal itself was built using exploited labor, including Egyptian slave labor. Many poorly treated workers who toiled to create the canal died of cholera, dysentery, hepatitis and smallpox, which ran through workers’ camps.
After over a decade of work, Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, formally opened the Suez Canal on Nov. 17, 1869. 
Although the French Empress Eugenie’s yacht, L’Aigle, was widely publicized as the first to cross through the canal, it was actually the British navy ship HMS NEWPORT that led the way. Secretly, Capt. George Nares had slid to the front of the line in the dark night before crossing. Reports say the British government reprimanded their bold captain but also quietly congratulated him for surreptitiously angling the Brits into first place in line for the ceremonial opening. Amusing though that might be, it lends credence to how significant the canal was — and is — to international trade. 
Early on, only steamships were able to use the canal, as sailing vessels had difficulty navigating the narrow channel in the region’s tricky winds. Those winds have not changed with time and 150 years later, the Suez Canal again made worldwide news when the Ever Given, a Taiwanese shipping vessel, shifted off course while crossing the canal in March 2021, remaining stuck for days in the shallow canal. International shipping idled in limbo while Egyptian officials worked to get the huge boat back on track. The Ever Given is roughly 1,300 feet long and not quite 200 feet wide, significantly larger than the USS PALOS’ 25-foot beam. Thankfully, the canal has been expanded several times to accommodate these larger vessels. Originally only 26 feet deep and 102 miles long, the canal now stands at nearly 79 feet deep and 120 miles long.
The USS PALOS Under Attack
Small but mighty, the USS PALOS made history in 1870 as the first American warship to pass through the Suez Canal. After taking two days to move through the waterway, PALOS stopped in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) on Sept. 25, 1870, and remained in port for just two days before heading for Hong Kong. 
Significantly, the PALOS also went on to actively serve in Asia and eventually influence trade development. Working up and down the coasts of China and Japan for over two decades, the former tug was heavily utilized over its lifetime of service.
The gunboat first saw action while sailing as part of the Asiatic Squadron along with the frigate USS COLORADO, sloops USS ALASKA and USS BENICIA, and side-wheel gunboat USS MONOCACY. Commanded by Rear Adm. John Rodgers, the group was traveling from Shanghai to Nagasaki, Japan, with then-U.S. Minister to China Francis Low on an 1871 diplomatic mission.
Low intended to develop better international communication with Korea. Although he was under direct orders to secure a treaty for shipwrecked sailors and openly discuss how American sailors might be treated by Korea, he was also expected to ultimately push for commercial advantages in Korea. The two goals were linked by a generalized Western push for trade expansion and Korea’s increasingly anti-foreign sentiments.
The Americans believed the “Hermit Kingdom” of Korea was superior to China with better resources and wanted to establish trade with the country even though foreigners were typically shunned. If an 1866 American shipwreck, in which the entire crew of the merchant ship General Sherman was slaughtered, was not enough to illustrate Korea’s discontent with foreigners, a similar massacre of a French expedition was enough to indicate that the Korean government was not interested in trade with those it openly called “barbarians from beyond the seas.” Rodgers’ fleet of nine ships, including the USS PALOS, had just 97 mounted guns, paltry little to safeguard Americans in waters where they were not welcome.
Sailing from Nagasaki to Boisee Island, Korea, in May 1871, a survey party including PALOS, which the Koreans had grudgingly allowed into port, was unexpectedly attacked. Although the Korean government had not exactly said it would allow the survey party to progress, the Americans did not anticipate a full-fledged attack from Korean forts near the Salee River.
When they reached Korea’s Kangwha Island, the Americans took heavy fire from Korean forts that looked down on the water. However, the American ships returned fire and put an end to the skirmish. Two of PALOS’ crew were wounded in the attack.
After 10 days of waiting for an apology from Korean officials that never arrived, Rodgers ordered the PALOS, along with accompanying gunboat USS MONOCACY, into action on May 31, 1871. Rodgers brought 105 U.S. Marines and 546 sailors ashore on June 10, 1871. Fighting up a steep slope, the struggle turned to hand-to-hand combat and over 200 Koreans were killed. The American service members initially captured one fort that day, then four others the next day.
Although the U.S. Ships left Korea on July 3, 1871, without renewing any negotiations or coming to any diplomatic agreement, America’s apparent power as a national force to be reckoned with might have loosened barriers to Western trade. Korea eventually signed a trade agreement in 1882.
The PALOS’ Later Years
After the 1871 skirmish, the USS PALOS remained in Asian waters for over two more years, moving between ports along the Chinese and Japanese coasts.
The gunship showed its strength again in 1891 after native peoples held several riots along the Yangtze River, a hinge pin of trade, to protest foreign presence in the area. The USS PALOS made rounds to multiple treaty ports, areas where foreigners lived without being subject to native laws, answering instead to their home nations. The situation was tense, but the USS PALOS was sent to help repair local areas, eventually concentrating on the northern and central coast of China and the lower Yangtze River.
The next year, the USS PALOS sailed for Nagasaki, where it was condemned as unfit for further service on July 6, 1892.
Decommissioned, PALOS was sold at auction on Jan. 25, 1893. Renamed the Keiko Maru, the aging boat had a short final life as a merchant ship before being scrapped.
A second USS PALOS (PG-16/PR-1), specifically pre-built as a gunship at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, was dismantled after its construction and shipped in pieces to China, where it was reassembled. Although the new ship shared a name with its predecessor and also patrolled the Yangtze River, the original USS PALOS could not be duplicated. From its remarkably humble beginnings as a little tug in Boston, the USS PALOS had served capably in ports foreign and domestic, proven itself in action, and made American history.     

Return to Table of Contents

 

MEMBERHSIP MATTERS

Happy New Year to All Our New and Returning Shipmates!

It is the time to reflect on our achievements during the past 12 months and discuss goals for the 12 months ahead. Last year, I wrote that the FRA staff hoped 2021 would be more conventional than 2020. In hindsight, we found that some FRA activities returned to the events calendar, but not in the traditional sense. Let’s review what we accomplished and where we are aiming this year.

Successes for 2021
•	After suspending the in-person event in 2020, we went forward with our 2021 National Convention in Spokane Valley, Washington. We modified the format and travel restrictions made it difficult for many Shipmates to attend, but we still pulled it off.
•	We launched the Sparkfly Perks program in June, 2021. Shipmates can enjoy special programs and savings on a wide variety of goods and services.
•	For the first time in many years, we instituted the new a new FRA branch, Lake of the Ozarks Branch 32 (see the November issue of FRAtoday).
•	The Ship Store is growing with new items, such as the FRA leather patch hat, t-shirts with new designs and coasters. Check online to see more items at www.fra.org/shipstore.
•	We updated the FRA mobile app and continue to encourage Shipmates to use these tools to connect with other Shipmates and HQ staff.
•	Members have started to receive an additional email leading up to their renewal date. This provides a reminder that renewals can be processed online or by telephone, which can save you time and money.
 
Goals for 2022
•	Our top goal is to increase membership and we need your help. Shipmates who sponsor or refer new members are eligible for recruiting awards. Ask your branch membership chairman or call FRA member services for more information.  
•	We have two groups of Shipmates trying to establish new FRA branches, one in Hawaii and one in Florida. We want to support the efforts of these and any other Shipmates interested in starting a new branch. Contact me if you want to learn more about establishing a branch. 
•	A major update to the FRA website is planned that will provide improved navigation.
•	We’d like to bring greater awareness to the many benefits of membership including our Sparkfly Perks program (see page 37).  
•	We are in the process of planning the 2022 FRA National Convention, which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, Oct. 17-22. 
•	We will continue to increase the selection of FRA gear available at the Ship Store.
•	Looking further down the line, our centennial celebration is now just two years away. This will bring a tremendous amount of attention to the FRA. Among other honors that year, we will host the Veterans Day National Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 11, 2024. We are intending to offer branches and Members-at-Large multiple opportunities to join in the FRA’s celebrations that year and will be publishing material about our history, notable incidents, and Shipmates whose efforts helped establish and sustain the FRA throughout its existence. 
We thank all our Shipmates for their continued support and look forward to sharing our efforts with you throughout 2022. We encourage you to contact member services at any time to update your email address, mailing address or other contact information. Please don’t hesitate to contact member services if you have questions, updates or ideas — we look forward to hearing from you!

Christina is the director of membership development and may be reached at ChristinaH@FRA.org

Shipmate News

1. Branch 115, Lehigh Valley, PA.
Branch 115 visited Washington, D.C., in August to visit the memorials and monuments. The highlight was a narrated tour through Arlington National Cemetery and witnessing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  

2. Branch 226, Staten Island, N.Y.
Branch members attended the Annual Father Capodanno Memorial Mass held at Fort Wadsworth, New York. (L to R) James E. Brown, Capt. Marc Sennick, CMC Robert Reimer. Lt. Capodanno, USNR, and Certified in Healthcare Compliance is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

3. Southeast Region
On Sept. 10, 2021, PRPSE J.J. Thomas presented a $1,000 check from the Southeast Region to Stephanie Vogt, Community Relations Manager at K9s for Warriors.

4. Branch 115, Lehigh Valley, PA.
Branch 115 visited Fellowship Christian High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in October to perform the American Flag Folding Ceremony for the students and to explain the three cardinal principles of the FRA: loyalty, protection and service. (L to R) Bill Nixon, Bill Noble, Roger Rehm and Roland Saeger.

5. Branch 293, Elizabeth City, N.C.
During an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, Austin Johnson was presented a Certificate of Achievement from Branch 293 President Richard Thomas. Johnson also received a flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol along with a certificate signed by North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr.

6. Branch 14, Milwaukee, wisc.
Branch 14 participated in the annual St. Martins street fair in Franklin, Wisconsin, Sept 5-6, 2021. During their biggest fundraiser, the branch sold pull tabs and raffle tickets. They also handed out membership applications along with information about the Americanism Essay Contest. (L to R) Ken Wagner, Terry Stein, Marcia Cunningham and Lynelle Wagner.

7. Branch 208, Jacksonville, N.C.
Paul Miethker (L) presents a WWII Medallion to veteran Guner’s Mate 2nd Class Roy Hamilton Keller Jr. on Oct. 12, 2021. Camp Lejeune Branch 208 visited the veterans living at the Landings of Swansboro assisted living home. They all celebrated the Navy’s 246th Birthday and honored World War II veterans. 

8. Branch 104, Puyallup, WAsh.
Branch 104 has participated in the annual Auburn Veterans Parade for the past 40-plus years. This was the 56th year for the parade. (L to R) Bob Tomkins, Tom Shriver, Russ Peters, PNP John Johnson, Jim Jones, Tim Moss and RVPNW  Rex Faubion.

9. Branch 124, Lakehurst, N.J.
Branch members celebrated the Navy’s 246th Birthday. (L to R) RVPNE/NEng. and Branch President Ray Rizzo, John McAuliffe, PRPNE/NEng. David Munday, Reid Septor, Charles Seidel, Sharon A. Munday and Thomas Gallucci.

10. Branch 89, Atlanta, GA.
In celebration of the Navy’s 246th Birthday, the owner (R) of Semper Fi Bar & Grille, a military themed restaurant in Woodstock, Georgia, provided a cake. The oldest Navy veteran present (L), at age 93, cut the cake. Aaron Camp (not pictured), won a one-year membership. 

11. Branch 97, Whidbey Island, WAsh.
On Saturday, Oct. 3, 2021 Branch 97 had the distinct honor of awarding Shipmate William Simpson Sr. his 50-Year Continuous Membership Pin and Certificate at his home in Kennewick, Washington. Retired Navy Chief Aviation Support Equipment Technician Simpson joined the Navy in 1952, retired from active duty in 1975 and joined the FRA in 1971. (L to R) Tim Miller, Branch President Brent Hundley and Branch Secretary William Simpson Sr.

12. Branch 171, san pablo city, pi.
Shipmate Oscar C. Avenido’s urn was laid to rest on Nov. 6, 2021, by Branch 171 members headed by (L to R) Branch President Romeo Q. Oruga, Dan Banayo, Ed Reyes, Rico Ortega, Tony Ercia, Wally Napiza and Poly San Juan.

TAPS

Name	Rating	Branch
Altenburg, Paul C.	YN1, USN	MAL
Anagnostou, Gerald A.	MAC, USN	MAL
Anfinson, Ervin K.	ENC, USN	136
Angell, Charles E.	BMC, USNR	42

Barker, Gene A.	HMCS, USN	17
Barnes, Allon F.	SH1, USN	63
Barrett, Leonard T.	OSCM, USN	104
Barringer, Raymond C.	CSC, USN	172
Bechtold, James J.	AOC, USN	261
Bentham, Cindy L.	YN1, USN	MAL
Bianco, John W.	CAPT, USN	24
Brantley, Harry W.	YNCM, USN	MAL
Brewer, Harvey D.	CTRCS, USN	49
Brosseau, Joseph G.	MSGT, USMC	MAL
Brown, Billy B.	ADC, USN	91
Brown, Doris R.	CSCS, USN	MAL
Browning, Kenneth M.	FTCS, USN	MAL
Brunnhoelzl, William J.	BTC, USN	70

Calton, William C.	PH1, USN	183
Carbonell, Daniel I.	DKC, USN	MAL
Casper, Harold R.	LT, USN	MAL
Castro, Michael	BMC, USN	103
Chambers, James B.	PN(I)2, USNR	230
Ciccone, John	ABFC, USN	MAL
Conlon, James A.	CWO4, USN	210
Cox, James F.	HMC, USN	70

Demmers, William	HMCS, USN	MAL
Derouin, Noel E.	ASCS, USN	261
Divins, Thomas E.	AMHC, USN	MAL

Fauteux, Joseph L.	ADR1, USN	MAL
Feeley, Keith E.	CMC, USN	MAL
Ferguson, William H.	CTOCM, USNR	MAL
Fitzgerald, Robert A.	BMC, USN	248
Fontenot, Ronald	QMC, USN	162
Freed, Cory	IC, USN	29
Fullbright, Paul F.	FCC, USN	201
Furlong, Sheldon D.	SK1, USN	MAL

Garner, William E.	EM1, USNR	MAL
Garvey, Edward P.	EOH1, USN	MAL
Gentile, Ralph J.	ENC, USN	MAL
Green, Walter D.	YNC/TAR, USNR	89
Griebau, Guenther	 SGTMAJ, USMC	24

Hansen, Sherman	AQ1, USN	70
Harper, Jack H.	ADR1, USN	MAL
Hawkins, Richard S.	MCPO, USN	MAL
Haynie, Robert C.	ENCS, USN	57
Hensley, Doyle W.	LCDR, USN	MAL
Hinds, Eddie	RD1, USN	MAL
Hirner, Collin J.	ICC, USN	MAL
Hixenbaugh, Claude F.	DKC, USN	MAL
Holmes, Charles E.	IMC, USN	MAL
Hoy, Ronald	ICC(SS), USN	MAL
Hubbard, Bryan E.	BUC, USN	MAL

Jacobsen, Vernon G.	AG3, USN	67
Jagger, Everett P.	ATC, USN	MAL
Jeffrey, Bobby Z.	GMG1, USN	MAL
Johnson, Lorenzo D.	DK1, USN	34
Johnson, Merle R.	QMCS, USN	14

Kelly, Cecil H.	RMCS, USN	MAL
Kline, Ronald	AMEC, USN	MAL

Landry, Gene R.	MMCM, USN	210
Lavoie, James	SKSC, USN	MAL
Leinenweber, Robert L.	ET1, USN	40
Leipfert, Richard H.	YNCM, USN	126
Little, Charles E.	CDR, USN	91
Long, Elizabeth A.	USN	MAL
Long, Robert E.	RMC(SW), USN	99
Love, Eugene B.	EN1, USN	106
Lutz, Robert C.	MLC, USN	MAL

Mahoney, Harry L.	LCDR, USN	MAL
McClurg, James	MGYSGT, USMC	94
McCullough, Jack J.	PCC, USN	MAL
McFadden, Archie	MMC, USN	08
McIntosh, Gordon J.	FTCM, USN	MAL
Meacham, Donald A.	ETCM, USN	MAL
Melton, Frank G.	USN	339
Merz, Charles W.	ADJ1, USN	93
Miller, Kenneth R.	BTC, USN	269
Mitchell, Robert J.	HMCS, USN	MAL
Morgan, George A.	EMCS, USN	161
Munger, Dennis N.	USN	63

Neal, Jack P.	SCPO, USN	MAL
Nevel, Kenneth M.	DMC, USN	MAL
Nicklin, Howard E.	USN	70
Norman, Charles E.	GMCS, USN	MAL

O’Brien, Joseph A.	CEC, USN	42
Ogle, Leo D.	DPCS, USN	MAL
Onken, Lester E.	GYSGT, USMC	216
Owen, William E.	CDR, USN	MAL
Pac, Alfred	RDCM, USN	MAL
Paine, Raymond D.	SCPO, USN	290
Pandes, Cecilio	MMC, USN	127
Patridge, Danny M.	STGC(SW), USN	295
Perno, Alfred	BMC, USN	126
Pommerening, Howard	YNC(SS), USN	MAL

Ramsdell, Daniel R.	ATCS, USN	91
Rice, Richard	AGC, USN	MAL
Roberts, Holly J.	ADJ1, USN	MAL

Schuessler, Robert L.	ET1(SS), USN	269
Schwaab, Joseph A.	SMC, USN	136
Sellers, Gurley N.	EMCM(SS), USN	MAL
Senesky, Paul	YNC(AW), USN	22
Shonkwiler, Gene M.	YNC, USN	117
Shultz, Harry L.	USN	08
Sloan, Eldon D.	AMC, USN	MAL
Smith, Arthur J.	1STSGT, USMC	289
Snodgrass, James D.	HTC, USN	310
Steele, John B.	CMSGT, USAF	269
Stewart, Richard B.	PHC, USN	11
Styles, Robert R.	BTC, USN	53
Swafford, Darrell K.	FTCM (SS), USN	MAL
Symonds, Victor V.	AVCM, USN	261

Thomas, Richard A.	CWO4(SW), USN	MAL
Thomas, Samuel A.	CPL, USMC	264
Throm, Robert B.	MAJ, USMC	01
Todd, Richard F.	PO1, USN	MAL
Troszak, Paul	ETCM, USN	91
Turner, Kenneth	USN	269

Vane, Floyd B.	HMC, USN	MAL
Vollmer, Daniel H.	AZC, USN	93

Walczak, Richard H.	RMCM, USN	60
Walker, Tommy D.	MMCM, USN	47
Walter, Lonnie E.	ADJC, USN	70
Walters, Richard E.	HMC, USN	MAL
Ward, Chester A.	ETC	99
Weise, Robert W.	CDR, USNR	MAL
Wild, Duane E.	ATC, USN	91
Winston, Henry W.	BMCS, USN	40
Wofford, Raymond M.	OSC, USN	201
Woodard, Dan	EMC, USN	101
Wynn, Julian G.	LCPL, USMC	40

Zatarain, Henry	ADC, USN	MAL

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LA FRA Auxiliary

Welcome to 2022

I would first like to thank LA FRA National President Pat Suckow for this appointment.  

The role of the LA FRA national parliamentarian is to advise on parliamentary matters at the request of the national president, subject to the final approval of the national president. The advice is based on a review of the LA FRA Constitution and Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Unit Procedure Manual to keep National President Pat, as well as the organization, out of any legal issues. 

My role is also to review and assist in writing any changes to the C&BL’s at the unit, regional and national levels to make sure they are not in conflict with the current auxiliary C&BLs or those of the FRA.

“Making a Resolution”  
Changes to the CB&L are called resolutions. A resolution should identify the unit proposing the change, state the current C&BL section as written and then state your reasons for change.  

Please keep your reasons for change, or the “whereas,” on the topic of the proposed change. The resolution should provide a clear action to fix the identified problem and be stated exactly as it should appear in the future. 

The following is an example of a resolution that passed during the 2021 National Convention was: “Therefore be it, Resolved that Standing Rule 9 Membership Dues SR-9(a) be changed to state: Membership dues in the LA FRA shall be twenty-five dollars per annum, payable in advance, not to exceed five years at any time. Any advance dues payment shall be non-refundable. Application for new and reinstated membership shall be accompanied by a payment of twenty-five dollars dues. Effective 1 January 2022.”

Please refer to C&BL Section 1203, 1204 and 1205 for the procedures and certifying statements that must be included with any resolution. Please note Section 1205(f): “Proposed amendments to the C & BL originated in Units shall contain the following certification signed by the Unit President and the Unit Secretary. ‘This is to certify that this resolution was proposed at a regular meeting of Unit Number _______ held on _____ day of ______ (month) _____ (year) and read, debated and adopted by a two-thirds (or unanimous) vote at a regular meeting of Unit Number _____ held on the _____ day of ______ (month) ______(year) ______ there being a quorum present.”
Please also note the deadline established in Section 1205(g): “A signed copy with original signatures shall be sent to the National Executive Secretary, National President, National Vice President, National Parliamentarian and the Chairman of the C & BL Committee, not less than 120 days before the convening date of the Annual National Convention.” 

All proposed resolutions this year must be submitted on or before June 18, 2022.

Quorum
Quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present or represented by proxy for business of the meeting to be valid. The national quorum is two-thirds of the authorized voting strength present or represented by proxy. 

Proxy
Proxy is the authority to represent. It is very important that a proxy and an alternate proxy be identified on all units’ delegate sheets for regional and national conventions.

I am looking forward to seeing all units represented in Birmingham for the 2022 national convention.     FRA
In Loyalty, Protection and Service,
Christina Murray

PNP Christina is the LA FRA national parliamentarian.

FINANCE MATTERS

Understanding the Complexities of Medicare
While they’re working, many Americans become accustomed to getting health insurance through their employer. They make their initial selections and then update their choices once a year when it’s time to renew and during life events like adding a member to the family or, perhaps, starting a new job. 
But virtually all U.S. residents face a milestone when they reach age 65 and qualify for Medicare, which provides a new and, possibly, more complex approach to health insurance. 
Keep in mind that even if you take early Social Security benefits at age 62, you must wait until age 65 for Medicare. 

Breaking Down Medicare’s Four Parts
Part A: Hospital insurance 
Part A helps pay for:
•	Inpatient hospital care.
•	Hospice care.
•	Skilled home-health services for homebound patients.
Part A also helps with short-term inpatient care in Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities, but only if the patient is there for rehabilitation — not for long-term or custodial care.
Once you reach age 65, you qualify for Part A. It’s unlikely you will be charged a monthly premium if you have worked and paid the Medicare payroll tax for a minimum of 10 years.

Part B: Medical insurance
Part B helps pay for:
•	Doctors’ services.
•	Outpatient hospital care.
•	Medical equipment and supplies.
•	Some preventive services.
All U.S. citizens and all legal aliens who have lived in the United States for at least five years qualify for Part B at age 65. No work history is required, but everyone who wants Part B must pay a monthly premium. 
Monthly premiums are based off the worker’s modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, from filed taxes with higher-income individuals paying more. Your first opportunity to sign up for Part B is the initial enrollment period, which begins three months before and ends three months after your 65th birthday month.

Part C: Medicare Advantage
Part C offers an option to buy health insurance from the private sector as an alternative to joining the “traditional Medicare” program that comes from the government. 
If you choose a Part C plan, you will generally get all of your Medicare-covered services, including all services, supplies, and drugs that are otherwise covered by Parts A, B, and D, from your Part C plan instead. However, Part C plans typically restrict your choices of health care providers. 
Medicare enrollees who choose Part C must continue to pay their Part B premiums, and Medicare will pay the Part C plan provider a monthly fee. You might have to pay an additional monthly premium depending on the plan. 

Part D: Prescription drug coverage
The optional Part D covers prescription drugs. If you have Part A, Part B or both, you will qualify for Part D. 
Like Part C, Part D comes from a private company, not directly from the government. When you turn age 65, you will have the right to enroll in one of several Medicare-approved Part D prescription drug plans. 
Medicare pays most of the cost of Part D. However, if you choose Part D, you will pay a monthly premium to the company you select. 

Supplementing your coverage
Medicare alone is not likely to be enough. To help minimize out-of-pocket expenses, many retirees have some other arrangement to supplement Medicare’s coverage. Some options include:
•	Former employer health insurance — Your former employer may let you carry its group health plan into retirement. If you are retired and eligible for Medicare, your employer’s group health plan could be your Medicare supplement.
•	Medigap insurance — Medigap is supplemental health insurance you buy from a private insurance company to fill in some of the gaps in Part A and Part B. Medigap policies pay some or all of Medicare’s deductibles and copayments, and some cover a few services that Medicare doesn’t. 
•	Medicare Advantage Part C — Part C is not a true Medicare supplement because it replaces Medicare’s coverage, but if you have Part C, you will not need a Medicare supplement. 

This article contains basic information about Medicare, services related to Medicare, and services for people with Medicare. If you would like to find more information about the government Medicare program, please visit the official U.S. Government site at www.medicare.gov.
Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice, but your financial advisor will be happy to work with your chosen legal and tax advisors to help you achieve your financial goals.
Insurance products are offered through nonbank insurance agency affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company and are underwritten by unaffiliated insurance companies.
This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing Director-Investments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice President- Investments in Alexandria, Virginia, at 800-247-8602.
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