FRA Today - May 2011
COMMUNICATIONS:  Congratulations, Lauren Armstrong
military update:  Disability Evaluation Reforms
shipmate forum
On & OFF Capitol HILL
FRA REmembers PNP Eugene smith
Member Benefits
Feature: ‘‘Kansas City, Here I come!”
Reunions
Looking For …
taps
Auxiliary of the FRA NEWS

COMMUNICATIONS:  Congratulations, Lauren Armstrong
Lauren Armstrong has been writing feature articles for this publication each month since August 2006. There is much discussion and planning about what will be on the editorial calendar for the coming year, and efforts to balance topics including current military issues, articles of general interest, health-related items and historical articles, to name a few. Each year there is a feature that focuses on the location for the upcoming National Convention (such as this feature on Kansas City) and a wrap-up after Convention to let readers know about the news from the week. Often the historical articles receive the greatest reaction, however. This was the case with the tribute to the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the Marine Corps since its reestablishment in 1798, published in the December, 2010 issue of FRA Today.
Lauren chose to highlight the Montford Point Marines because of their significant role in racially integrating the Corps and the nation as a whole — and because it is a story rarely published. To paraphrase James Averhart, who is quoted in the article, the Montford Pointers’ story is not just Marine Corps history or black history; it’s American history. The article includes interviews with several of the original Montford Pointers, as well as other minority Marines who followed in their footsteps. 
Not only was the response from FRA shipmates incredibly positive, but there have been countless other accolades as well. Colonel Walt Ford, USMC (Ret.), Publisher/Editor of Leatherneck magazine, hailed it as “an exceptional tribute to the Montford Point Marines.” The Montford Point Marine Association asked for copies for their convention in July so they can distribute it to attendees. The Marine Corps Cryptologic Association and the Black Marine Reunion organization received permission to repost or redistribute the story to their members. 
On April 16, 2011, Lauren Armstrong received The Colonel Robert D. Heinl, Jr. Award for the Montford Point Marines article. The award is given by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in memory of one of their founders who was a distinguished Marine Corps officer, journalist, and historian. The award is given to the author of the best article pertinent to Marine Corps history published in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or other periodical during the preceding year.
We congratulate Lauren, and appreciate her service to FRA — and for always making sure that a story is well told.

Eileen Murphy is the Director of Marketing and Communications and serves as the Managing Editor of FRA Today. Please contact her at eileen@fra.org.

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military update:  Disability Evaluation Reforms 

by Tom Philpott

After a three-year effort by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to improve the process, ill and injured military members still endure a long, complex and often contentious evaluation system when seeking disability ratings and compensation for service-related health conditions.
The process has been made more convenient and even shortened by an average six to eight months under a pilot program jointly run by the two departments and which continues to be expanded to more military bases.
Yet the Defense Department’s personnel chief and the Army’s surgeon general both have concluded, and said publicly, that the “integrated” disability evaluation system, or IDES, remains a disappointment.
More dramatic changes, they suggest, have to occur or else wounded warriors and other disabled service members still will be saddled with a process not befitting their sacrifices to serve the country.
Clifford L. Stanley, under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, first revealed the depth of his concern to the annual Military Health System conference in January. Stanley said he had been “raising Cain” over the time that injured and ill members still spend in “limbo” awaiting medical appointments and medical review board decisions.
Lt. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, Army’s top medical officer, told the House military personnel subcommittee in March that the pilot run by the two departments since late 2007, called IDES or the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, “remains complex and adversarial.”
Soldiers, he said, “still undergo dual adjudication where the military rates only unfitting conditions and the VA rates all service-connected conditions.” That produces separate ratings “confusing to soldiers and leaves a serious misperception about Army’s appreciation of wounded and injured soldiers [and their] medical and emotional situation.”
Interviewed in his Pentagon office last Tuesday, Stanley said he agrees with that criticism of IDES, though the pilot continues to be improved as it replaces, base by base, the far more flawed legacy DES.
The legacy system, still used for 40 percent of members seeking disability ratings, requires each service to conduct its own medical evaluation to identify only “unfitting” conditions and award them a rating. If the rating is 30 percent or higher, the member is retired and draws a lifetime annuity and other retiree benefits including access to military medical care.
If the rating is below 30 percent, the member is separated, usually with a lump sum severance payment. Veterans then go to VA where a new evaluation process begins, this time of every service-related condition found. VA ratings and compensation usually are higher than the service allowed.
Back in 2007, it took an average of 540 days to clear both DES processes. The pilot program to integrate them uses one set of medical examinations done by VA doctors to VA standards. It has honed the total process time down to an average of just over 300 days. Members leave service with both their military and VA ratings set and with their compensation, usually based on the VA, starting immediately.
Stanley and Schoomaker agree that IDES, where it operates, has been an improvement. Yet both leaders say it doesn’t go far enough to simplify and accelerate the process for the 26,000 members moving through it at any given time. Stanley has had a working group studying its weaknesses. Recommendations to improve it will be presented to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki at the end of April.
The ideal system, Stanley said, would produce “a single evaluation based upon one medical record,” and over which Defense and VA officials “have joined hands and made a decision: ‘Here’s the disability rating. Period.’ That’s what we’re looking for … That’s nirvana.”
But such a change, presuming the one and only rating was set by VA, would make many more military members eligible to be disabled “retirees” thus driving up DoD retirement and medical costs. Neither Stanley nor Schoomaker have addressed, at least publicly, the possible cost consequences of their vision.
What both appear to be embracing is a key recommendation of the 2007 Dole-Shalala Commission, which Congress and the Department of Defense choose to ignore because of the costs involved. Dole-Shalala, formerly called the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors, was formed after the scandal involving neglected wounded warriors on the campus at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
It recommended getting “DoD completely out of the disability business” by giving VA sole responsibility for setting disability ratings and awarding compensation. It urged replacing “confusing parallel systems” of DoD and VA ratings with a single simple and more generous system.
Congress instead passed more modest reforms to partially integrate the two processes. In the pilot, DoD and VA use the same set of exams. Both ratings occur while members remain on active duty. But IDES still allows the military to rate only “unfitting conditions” for determining retirement eligibility and the VA to rate all conditions.
Stanley, in our interview, said this dual adjudication process keeps the system too long and complex, and shakes the bond of trust members should have with their service branch as they leave for civilian life.
Disability evaluation shouldn’t be something that the private first class, or even the general, has to be briefed on for hours “to understand,” Stanley said. It should just be there to serve them well and fairly.
Stanley isn’t persuaded, as some DES experts are, that the law would have to be changed to allow the services to use more than just “unfitting conditions” to set disability ratings for determining retirement eligibility.
While that debate continues internally, Stanley is pressing IDES officials to take more steps to cut down wait times for members, and at the same time ensure that their rights to due process are protected.
“At no time in this process are we talking about going faster than they want to go,” Stanley said. “We’re not trying to rush people out. We’re talking about respecting them [and] giving them an opportunity to go through a process that is not dehumanizing.”

Military Update is posted weekly at www.fra.org and is reprinted here with permission of the author. It replaces this month’s NED Update column. FRA continues its strong support for reforming the disability evaluation system, which is vitally important to determining service-related conditions and associated care and benefits for uniformed services personnel. The Association consistently references this in its congressional testimony before key oversight committees.

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shipmate forum
USFSPA is Unfair
How can the military and U.S. government say the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act (USFSPA) of 1982 is fair to our service men and women? If someone in the service gets divorced, the former spouse is able to collect a portion of the service member’s retirement for life, depending on how many years they were married. 
Don’t you think that it would be fair to limit it to the same number of years they were married? Also how is it fair that ex-spouses are able to collect the retirement even after they remarry? Why should the service member be punished and forced to support two households with his/her retirement? If they divorce their new spouse, they can reapply for the service member’s retirement pay. 
I am sure that my fellow veterans would agree that someone needs to fix this law for all of us. It looks like a deal in some back room and not in the open for all to see. I’ve watched as my fellow service brothers and sisters do their jobs and their spouses have others fill the missing space. While the service member was away defending our country the spouse was out with someone else spending allotment money, giving them a place to stay, etc. I’ve also watched as the ex-spouse finds another service member and marries them for long enough to get a portion of that retirement also. Is this fair?
Whoever has control of the USFSPA needs to get their head out of the sand and fix this for all our retirees who have served, those who are serving and for the ones that will serve this great country we call home.
Tom Cooper
FRA Response: FRA has been a consistent leader in the call to reform the USFSPA. The existing law is poorly written and is often ignored or misapplied by courts adjudicating divorce settlements. The Association believes the measure should be amended to ensure more equitable treatment of service members. 
Agent Orange Exposure
I want to thank you for fighting for the blue water veterans. I have been married to a veteran who served on the USS Coral Sea Air from 1969 to 1972. His main duties were in the boilers, but other duties included moving barrels of Agent Orange. He returned to service in the Army and in 1986 fell down a 40-foot embankment with full gear on. He was eventually ousted from service because he could not pass the PT test, even though he could perform his job in his MOS. 
My point is this: his spine, knees, and thumbs joints are deteriorating and/or are gone with only six full disks left in his back; two of those are wafer thin. He also has a diagnosis of soft tissue in his hands (undetermined), diabetes, coronary problems and peripheral neuropathy, to name a few. 
My husband has repeated many times to his doctors that he believes the rapid deterioration of his spine and joints is due to his exposure to Agent Orange. We don’t know where to turn. 
Please continue to fight because our veteran’s hospital is moving toward the new veterans and trying to oust the older ones.
Joyce Tucker

Clarification
In last month’s feature article about Agent Orange exposure, we suggested that veterans who’d been exposed to the herbicide file a claim with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) for disability benefits. We should have specified that claims for benefits should only be filed if the veteran is experiencing health problems. In order to request benefits for VA compensation based on the presumption of exposure to herbicides, a veteran must also have a condition or illness listed in Subsection 3.309 of Title 38 in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Visit http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/ for more information.
Additionally, several shipmates have asked why their ship’s name doesn’t appear on the VA registry of ships exposed to Agent Orange. The list, available at www.fra.org/agentorange, is updated as documentation of exposure becomes available. Blue water veterans with Agent-Orange health concerns should include as much information as possible when filing a claim for VA benefits. The name of the vessel, the dates the vet served aboard the ship, and the date(s) and geographic location the vessel sailed into brown water, was docked to shore or crewmembers went ashore should be included with as much detail as possible. 
For more information, e-mail vafra@fra.org or call Chris Slawinski, FRA’s national veterans’ service officer, at 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 115. 

Submissions: Send Shipmate Forum letters to: Editor, FRA Today, 125 N. West St. Alexandria, VA 22314. E-mail submissions may be sent to fratoday@fra.org. Please include “Shipmate Forum” in the subject line. FRA reserves the right to select and edit letters for publication. Letters published in Shipmate Forum reflect the opinions and views of FRA members. They do not necessarily reflect the official position of FRA as a whole. FRA is not responsible for the accuracy of letter content. 

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On & OFF Capitol HILL

Support Retiree Health Care Legislation
Your efforts are needed to help stop TRICARE fee increases. With a huge and growing budget deficit, the pressure for Congress to reduce costs is enormous. Pentagon proposals to increase TRICARE enrollment fees for working-age military retirees in FY2012 and beyond prompted Rep. Walter Jones (North Carolina) to introduce legislation that would require congressional approval for such increases. FRA strongly supports the “Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act” (H.R.1092), which is similar to legislation introduced in the 111th Congress (2009–2010) and garnered 202 cosponsors. FRA has also written to Sen. Frank Lautenberg (New Jersey) asking him to reintroduce a Senate bill from the 110th Congress that would restrict TRICARE fee increases for military retirees.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is proposing moderate TRICARE enrollment fee increases — a $30 hike for individual coverage (from $230 to $260/year) and $60 for families (from $460 to $520/year) – for military retirees under the age of 65. Starting in 2013, the annual enrollment fees would increase based on a yet-to-be-determined index. FRA opposes the indexing plan and agrees with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that management efficiencies and cost-saving initiatives can significantly offset higher health care costs. The Association has consistently called for cost efficiencies in its congressional testimony since drastic retiree TRICARE fee increases were first proposed in 2006, including recent testimony before the House and Senate Armed Services’ Personnel Subcommittees. (See below for more information on FRA’s congressional testimony.) 
Rep. Don Young (Alaska) also introduced a bill (H.R. 652) that seeks to limit TRICARE premium increases to no more than half the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase received by military retirees for the same year. Although active duty personnel do not currently pay TRICARE fees, the bill also seeks to limit any prospective fee increases for service members to no more than their annual pay increase. 
Now is the time for shipmates to contact their elected officials and remind them that the cost of retiree health care has been paid for with 20 or more years of military service. Please use the FRA Action Center at www.fra.org to contact your U.S. representative to urge their support for H.R. 1092 and H.R. 652. 
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FRA Testifies Before House and Senate Armed Services Subcommittees
FRA’s National Executive Director (NED) Joe Barnes testified before the Personnel Subcommittees of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees in recent weeks. He spoke on behalf of FRA and also as co-chair of the 33-member Military Coalition. Barnes specifically addressed health care issues including the Administration’s proposed TRICARE fee increase for TRICARE Prime, pending cuts to doctor reimbursement rates for providers who treat TRICARE and Medicare patients (a.k.a. the “doc fix”) and proposed changes to pharmacy co-payments.
DoD seeks “modest” increases in annual TRICARE Prime enrollment fees for FY2012, and FRA spoke against future fee hikes pegged to health care inflation, which is significantly higher than cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). The plan does not include TRICARE for Life fees and FRA supports efforts to increase the use of  TRICARE’s Home Delivery program by eliminating the pharmacy co-payment for mail-order generic drugs, which is also part of the proposal.
A permanent solution to pending cuts in Medicare physician reimbursement rates is also essential to ensuring access to care for all Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries. Congress has repeatedly punted on this matter and the latest extension preventing cumulative reimbursement rate cuts now totaling 29.5 percent expires on December 31, 2011. 
Read FRA’s complete written testimony at www.fra.org/testimony. 
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FRA Storms the Hill, Presents Pinnacle Award to Congressman LoBiondo 
Members of FRA’s National Board of Directors (NBOD) brought the enlisted perspective to Capitol Hill as they visited their respective elected officials in Washington, D.C. In more than 35 office visits, FRA leaders shared the Association’s perspective on priority legislative issues with their senators and representatives, asking them to support legislation that would benefit their shipmates.
Later in the day FRA National President Jim Scarbro and Auxiliary National President Helen Courneya presented FRA’s prestigious Pinnacle Award to New Jersey Congressman Frank LoBiondo. The lawmaker was recognized for his efforts to improve access to healthcare and other services for veterans, expand benefit eligibility for Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange, and advance housing and childcare improvements for Coast Guard personnel. 
Like FRA on Facebook at www.fra.org/fb and see more photos and videos of the day’s events.

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Active Duty Issues 
FRA Cosponsors House Reserve Component Caucus Breakfast
As part of its strong support of Sea Services Reserve Component personnel, FRA joined 10 other military and veterans’ organizations in cosponsoring the 14th annual House Reserve Component Caucus Breakfast on Capitol Hill in mid-March. Representatives Duncan Hunter (California) and Tim Walz (Minnesota) cochair the bipartisan caucus and attendees included caucus members, Defense officials, the Reserve Component Chiefs and senior enlisted leaders, and members of key military associations, including FRA. 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Dennis McCarthy was the keynote speaker. He addressed a new period of transitioning the Reserve Component from a mobilized combat force to a more innovative and efficient force, resetting equipment and the importance of supporting Reserve personnel and their families.
Vice Admiral Dirk Debbink, chief of the Navy Reserve, stated that one-third of the Reserve force is activated, with 8,000 either in or preparing to go into combat, many of whom are serving as Individual Augmentees (IA). Debbink asked lawmakers to allow Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) personnel to purchase TRICARE Reserve Select in order to maintain physical readiness and continuity of care.
Chief of the Marine Corps Reserve Major General Darrel Moore cited the need to retain bonus dollars to help the service recruit and retain the Corps’ best and the brightest.
Capt. Steve Vanderplas of the Coast Guard Reserve named parity for the Coast Guard with the other DoD services as his top priority — a call echoed in FRA’s legislative agenda for pay and benefit parity for USCG personnel with their DoD counterparts.
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Helping Military Families with the Mortgage Problems
Congressman Gerry Connolly (Virginia) recently introduced legislation (H.R. 237) that would expand the eligibility period for the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) to include more service members who were forced to sell their homes at a loss when they moved on government orders. If enacted, more service members may be eligible for partial reimbursement of financial losses, funds to pay off the mortgage, or assistance if they are forced to default on the mortgage.
The current law requires that homes had to be bought by July 1, 2006, and applications for benefits were due by September 30, 2010, to be eligible for the program. Many believe this time period is too restrictive and this bill seeks to give the Department of Defense the ability to change the eligibility dates for a specific military installation when circumstances require. Members are encouraged to go to the FRA Action Center (www.fra.org) to contact their representative on this issue.
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Senior Enlisted Leaders Testify Before Congress
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Rick West, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent, and their Army and Air Force counterparts summarized prepared testimony and ranked their respective quality-of-life concerns in late March before the House Military Construction (MilCon), Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.
MCPON West informed the subcommittee that to date more than 90,000 Sailors have served as Individual Augmentees (IA) in support of Overseas Contingency Operations and there are currently 11,000 Navy IAs deployed — most of whom are serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and conducting counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean. The Navy will add 7,000 new childcare spaces, reducing waiting time to three months for access to military childcare facilities. The Navy has also made significant progress in improving bachelor housing with its Homeport Ashore program that, after repeated delays, is now scheduled to eliminate substandard bachelor housing by 2016. 
Sergeant Major Kent told the subcommittee the Marine Corps is working to obtain a 1-to-2 dwell time ratio (7 months deployed to 14 months at home) for combat units, and that the Corps increased child care capabilities from 64 to 73 percent of USMC families, with a projection to meet a goal of 80 percent by FY2012. 
These senior enlisted advisors gave similar testimony before the Senate Armed Services’ Personnel Subcommittee in mid-April. 
Note: Because the Coast Guard is not part of the Department of Defense, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Michael Leavitt did not testify before these subcommittees. 
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Veterans’ Issues
FRA Seeks Faster VA Claims Processing, Equity for “Blue Water” Veterans
FRA’s Director of Legislative Programs (DLP) John Davis recently expressed the Association’s top veterans’ concerns before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Committees, asking the committees’ support to resolve the chronic claims-processing backlog of pending disability claims, eliminate restrictions on disability claims filed by veterans who were exposed to herbicides while serving off the coast of Vietnam, and to continue effective oversight of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). 
FRA called on both committees to take steps to eliminate the staggering backlog of unresolved claims for VA benefits and support the recommendations of the Independent Budget that proposes an eight-percent hike in VA funding for FY2012 and restores cuts in various VA construction, information technology, and medical and prosthetic research programs proposed by the Administration. FRA also urged members of the House VA Committee to approve the “Agent Orange Equity Act” (H.R. 812), legislation that would amend the VA’s definition of Vietnam service to include those veterans who served off-shore. Many of these “Blue Water” veterans are not eligible to receive VA benefits for health problems associated with Agent Orange exposure. The complete written statement is available at www.fra.org/testimony. 
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VA Medicare Subvention Legislation Introduced
Rep. Bob Filner (California), ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee, recently introduced legislation that would authorize Medicare payments to VA medical facilities for services provided to Medicare-eligible veterans being treated for non-service-connected conditions. Under current law, Medicare is not authorized to reimburse VA hospitals for care provided to Medicare-eligible vets. This results in veterans being forced to decide between receiving medical care through the VA or using Medicare at a non-VA facility and foregoing the specialized care of a VA hospital.
Most veterans pay into Medicare for the bulk of their adult lives, yet the law prohibits them from using this benefit for care at VA facilities. This issue is consistently referenced in FRA’s congressional testimony and members are urged to strengthen that call by using the FRA Action Center at www.fra.org to ask their representatives to support the “Medicare VA Reimbursement Act” (H.R. 814).
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Supreme Court Allows Filing Flexibility for Disabled Vets
The Supreme Court unanimously reversed a lower court ruling (Henderson v. Shinseki) to support a mentally ill veteran who missed a judicial review deadline by 15 days. The Plaintiff, David Henderson, was a 100-percent disabled Korean War veteran suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, who missed the filing deadline because he was bedridden. 
The high court specified that the VA is responsible for assisting veterans in developing their claims and rigid enforcement of filing deadlines is contrary to the agency’s duty to assist veterans. Henderson died last October before the high court ruling, but his wife took over the case.
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Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day Established
The Senate recently passed a resolution (S. Res 55) that declares March 30 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.” Senator Richard Burr (North Carolina), ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, sponsored the measure that seeks to honor and recognize veterans who served in Vietnam for their service and sacrifice. March 30 is the date in 1973 when U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. 
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VA Moves Forward on Implementation of Caregiver Law
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has submitted an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to speed up the process of implementing certain provisions of Public Law 111-163. The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 was supported by FRA and signed into law by President Obama on May 5, 2010. This condensed rule-making process is in part due to pressure from House VA Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (Florida), Senate VA Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (Washington), and Ranking Members Rep. Bob Filner (California) and Sen. Richard Burr (North Carolina), who have expressed frustration with the slow pace of implementation.
The Law directs the VA to provide an extensive range of new support services and benefits to caregivers of eligible veterans and service members seriously injured in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001 (Post 9/11). These benefits and services are in addition to those currently available at VA to all enrolled veterans and their caregivers. As part of the legal process, VA must issue regulations in order to implement these new authorities. The VA hopes to fully implement the law this summer.
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Update of PDBR Review of Disability Claims
The Physical Disability Review Board (PDBR) announced that more than half of the claims it has reviewed have been upgraded to a disability rating of 30 percent or more. The PDBR was mandated by the FY2008 Defense Authorization Act to reassess the accuracy and fairness of claims that resulted in combined disability ratings of 20 percent or less for service members who were separated from service due to medical conditions rather than being medically retired. To be eligible for a PDBR review, service members must have been medically separated between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2009, with a combined disability rating of 20 percent or less, and found ineligible for retirement.
This review panel is authorized to recommend an increase in a disability rating, uphold the previous finding, or issue a disability rating when the previous board did not assign one. The board, however, cannot recommend a lower rating. Eligible veterans can request a board review by submitting a Department of Defense Form (DD) 294 (Application for Review of Physical Disability Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States). This form is available online at www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/infomgt/forms/eforms/dd0294.pdf. 
Veterans requesting a review must mail their completed and signed DD-294 to SAF/MRBR, 550 C St. W., Suite 41, Randolph Air Force Base, TX 78150-4743. Applicants may submit statements, briefs, medical records or affidavits supporting their application.
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The FRA Legislative team is Joe Barnes, National Executive Director; John Davis, Director of Legislative Programs and Branch 181 President; Bob Washington, Health Care Advisor and Outreach Manager; Chris Slawinski, National Veterans Service Officer and Ed Dockery, Assistant Director of Legislative Programs.
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FRA REmembers PNP Eugene smith
ENC (SS) Eugene Smith, U.S. Navy, Retired
1929-2011
FRA National President 2000-2001

FRA Past National President Eugene Smith joined the staff of the Supreme Commander on April 18, 2011. He will be remembered for his devotion to the FRA and his shipmates and always doing what he believed was in the Association’s best interest. 
Born in Owensboro, Kentucky, Smith joined the Navy in 1947 to begin a 20-year career as an Engineman (EN). Throughout his long and distinguished service career, Smith spent a combined total of 16 years on sea duty, including duty aboard eight different vessels. His shore assignments included attendance at the Navy’s sonar school and nuclear power school, as well as his final active duty station at Navy Recruiting Command in Louisville, Kentucky. After his retirement from the Navy in 1967, Smith was employed for 27 years by Alcoa, Inc., in Newburgh, Ind., where he worked as the company’s superintendent of maintenance. 
Smith joined the FRA in 1965 and played a significant role in establishing several branches in the Association’s North Central Region. A Life Member of the FRA and a member of Branch 105 (Owensboro, Kentucky), he held leadership positions as branch secretary, treasurer, vice president and president. He also served as a member of the branch’s board of directors for more than three decades and served one year as FRA’s national chaplain. He served as his region’s vice president in 1989 and was elected Regional President North Central in 1990. In 1999, his shipmates elected Smith as the Association’s national vice president and then elected him to serve as FRA national president in 2000. Throughout his FRA service, Smith was actively involved in the Association’s operation, serving on various committees, and was a member of FRA’s Employees’ Pension Committee at the time of his death. 
During his tenure as the Association’s senior elected official (2000-2001), FRA played a significant role in securing a robust package of military benefits that included TRICARE for Life for Medicare-eligible military retirees, expanded eligibility for severely disabled retirees to receive special compensation, and the authority for service members to participate in a Thrift Savings Plan. FRA also sought resolution to absentee voting difficulties experienced by service members during the 2000 federal elections and supported legislation honoring the memory of USS Cole (DDG-67) crewmembers killed in the 2000 terrorist attack.
Shipmate Past National President Smith is survived by his wife, Lois, and daughters Marsha and Cheryl.
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Member Benefits

TAKE ACTION! 
FRA provides the Action Center on www.fra.org and a pocket guide called Communicate With Your Elected Officials to make communicating with members of Congress easy and convenient. On the Action Center, you can access a list of hot issues and send pre-written messages (or write your own) to your legislators to weigh in. You can also look up your senators and representative to see how they’ve voted on issues of importance to FRA shipmates. Both the Action Center and the Communicate With Your Elected Officials guide are free benefits brought to you by FRA. If you would like a copy of Communicate With Your Elected Officials, please e-mail Eileen@fra.org and include your name and mailing address.
Communicate!
FRA offers Communities on www.fra.org to help shipmates keep in touch with their branch, communicate with HQ, and get information. Use the Communities and be involved! Login to www.fra.org and click Communities. You will see the communities to which you belong — each branch and MALs have individual communities. There are also communities for FRA Today and OnWatch readers, people concerned about health care, and more. This is a place to ask the experts or share your opinions or frustrations. 
NewsBytes
NewsBytes is a free weekly legislative e-mail update designed to keep recipients up-to-date between issues of FRA Today. To subscribe, e-mail newsbytes@fra.org and include your member number (found above your name on the cover of this magazine). To listen to NewsBytes by phone, call 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 112. 
Provide Input!
FRA is very interested in hearing from you. There’s always a survey available at www.fra.org/survey. The surveys are quick, easy and help us share your concerns with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Like FRA!
Visit www.fra.org/fb to view FRA’s Facebook page and join our growing list of fans who “like” us. It’s a great place to post photos, videos, have discussions and find old friends. If you’re already on Facebook, you can invite others to check out FRA and use the page as a great recruiting tool! Our fans also are the first to hear of breaking news, get links to items of importance and shortcuts to other pages of interest.
Take control!
When you login to www.fra.org, not only can you access members-only information, you can also control your membership record. Would you like to subscribe to NewsBytes? Simply click a box. Are you needing a replacement membership card or invoice? Click a box and we’ll send you one within 24 business hours. You can also donate directly to FRA online and even print out a copy of your donation history for your records.
FRA Affinity Partners
FRA also has partnerships with several companies for the benefit of FRA members. When you use these companies, not only do you get a discount, but FRA receives a royalty as well. It’s a win-win situation — and a fantastic way for you to help FRA while you are helping yourself!
COMING SOON! 
FRA MasterCard from USAA
FRA is partnering with USAA to administer a new FRA MasterCard program. This award-winning financial services company is committed to providing great products and outstanding customer service to our shipmates. 
GEICO Car Insurance
Call 1-800-MILITARY (1-800-645-4827) and ask for the FRA member benefit discount. 
Capella University 
FRA members and spouses are eligible for tuition discounts at Capella University, an accredited, military-friendly, online university that has built its reputation by providing high quality online degree programs for working adults. Visit www.capella.edu/FRA for more information. 
Columbia Southern University 
In an education alliance with FRA, Columbia Southern University offers competitive tuition rates, waives application fees for service members and offers discounts to FRA shipmates. Visit www.columbiasouthern.edu/Partners/LearningPartners/fleet for further details.
FRA Endorsed Insurance Programs
As an FRA member you can choose from high quality, competitively priced insurance plans to help protect you and your family. Each quality plan has been designed for FRA members like you. You can select insurance protection to meet your family’s insurance needs at economical group rates. Request information regarding the plans of your choice through this website: www.FRAinsure.com or call toll-free 1-800-424-1120.
Navy Times
FRA members qualify for a special subscription rate of 52 weeks for $39.95. Call 1-800-368-5718 to start or renew your subscription. Use FRA priority member code: 1516N3.
Avis Car Rentals
When making reservations through Avis at 1-800-331-1212 or www.avis.com, be sure to use your FRA membership benefit discount: AWD#T867500.
HERTZ Car Rentals
When making reservations through Hertz at 1-800-654-3131 or www.hertz.com, be sure to use your FRA membership benefit discount: CDP#332104.
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Feature: ‘‘Kansas City, Here I come!”

Kansas City, Missouri, was founded in 1838 at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. As American pioneers sought to settle our country’s western regions, the city and surrounding area became the starting point for settlers travel-ing west on the Santa Fe, California and Oregon Trails. Since Kansas City’s incorporation in 1850, it has grown and prospered to become a city that embodies the determined spirit of those westward-bound pioneers, the urban pulse of a thriving city and a down-to-earth confidence that comes from grit and tenacity. It’s not just its location at the center of the contiguous United States that makes Kansas City known as the “Heart of America.”
KC icons—jazz, bbq and “hair curlers”
Kansas City, also known as KC, is famous for its unique brand of jazz music, the smoky tang of its renowned barbeque and the architectural towers that define its skyline. You can sample them all when you’re in town!
Jazzin’ It Up
It’s been said that jazz was born in New Orleans, but it grew up in Kansas City. The KC jazz tradition began at the corner of 18th and Vine in the 1920s and it flourished in the 1930s. Even though the country was in the midst of Prohibition and a major economic crisis, mob boss Tom Pendergast ensured alcohol flowed freely in KC, which added to the city’s attraction and economic success during the austere times. Music legends like Count Basie, Hot Lips Page and Charlie Parker jammed in many of the 100+ nightclubs that thrived in KC during the 1930s. Kansas City’s jazz legacy lives on today.
To learn more about the Kansas City jazz scene, make a stop at the American Jazz Museum, where visitors can see a diverse collection of musical artifacts and exhibits that highlight the history of the 18th and Vine area, jazz masters and jazz depicted in film. The museum’s collections include black-and-white photographs, original sheet music, flyers and posters for jazz shows, Charlie Parker’s saxophone and other memorabilia owned by legends Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. There are also listening stations where visitors can imagine what KC sounded like during jazz’s heyday! 
Called a “can’t miss” KC jazz joint by Sharon Rabius, a director with Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors, The Blue Room is a museum exhibit that honors the history of KC jazz by day and showcases live performance by today’s top jazz musicians at night. Take part in the Indigo Hour from 5:00 to 7:00 pm every Friday or, if you’re so inclined, bring your own instrument and join the weekly Blue Monday Jam.
Across the street, you’ll find the Gem Theatre, which hosts live jazz performances for larger audiences. The refurbished 1912 silent movie house is a work of art in itself, but the Jammin’ at the Gem performance series will have you groovin’ to the unique rhythms of KC jazz.
The American Jazz Museum is located at 1616 E. 18th St.; phone 816-474-8463. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm; from noon – 6:00 pm on Sundays; closed on Mondays. Admission is $8; ($3 ages 4-11). The Blue Room is open Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings for live performances; shows on Monday and Thursday are free. Admission to Friday and Saturday performances is usually $10, but special performances may cost more. The Gem Theatre box office is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm; Sundays, noon – 6:00 pm. Tickets for the “Jammin’ at the Gem” concert series vary in price.
Visit www.americanjazzmuseum.com for more information. 
KC BBQ
When Henry Perry began selling barbequed ribs out of an old trolley barn in the early 1900s, he had no idea he was creating an icon of Kansas City cuisine! The aroma of his slow-smoked ribs wafted out of his 19th and Highland establishment and lured patrons from around the city. There are nearly 100 barbeque joints in Kansas City today — each one offering a mouth-watering variation on Henry’s recipe.
“The beauty of Kansas City barbeque,” says Carolyn Wells, executive director of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, “is that you can ask ten different people to define Kansas City barbeque and you get ten different answers and they are all correct.”
Visitors to Kansas City voted two barbeque restaurants among their favorites in 2010. Give them a try or find your own favorite!
Arthur Bryant has been dubbed “the legendary King of Ribs” and his Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque restaurants have strengthened his reputation as “the most renowned barbequer in history.” Arthur’s brother, Charlie, worked for the aforementioned Henry Perry and inherited Perry’s business when the older gentleman passed away. Arthur followed in his brother’s footsteps to develop a signature BBQ sauce that’s graced the fingertips of Presidents Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter, and celebrities such as Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Wilt Chamberlain, George Brett, and thousands of “common folk” who’ve made the pilgrimage to sample his slow-smoked fare since 1930. New Yorker columnist Calvin Trillin considered this famous KC rib house to be the best restaurant in the world and Kansas City visitors named Arthur Bryant’s the restaurant with the “Best Midwestern Hospitality.”
Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque boasts three KC locations. The Legends, located at 1702 Village West Parkway, is about a mile from the convention hotel. Phone 913-788-7500. Open 10:00 am – 9:30 pm Monday through Thursday; 10:00 am – 10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday; and 11:00 am – 8:00 pm on Sunday.
Visit www.arthurbryantsbbq.com to view locations and menus.

Visitors voted Fiorell’s Jack Stack Barbecue as their favorite BBQ restaurant four years in a row and Zagat’s rated it the best barbecue in the country! In addition to succulent ribs and fork-tender brisket, patrons can also sample certified Angus steaks and fresh seafood cooked to perfection. The restaurant’s historic Freight House location (one of four in the city) is only about a mile and a half from the convention hotel.
Fiorell’s Jack Stack Barbecue is located at 101 W 22nd St.; phone 816-472-7427. The Freight House location is open 11:00 am – 10:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 11:00 am – 10:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday hours are 11:00 am – 9:00 pm.
Visit www.jackstackbbq.com/jack-stack-barbecue-freight-house/i/12/ to see the menu and learn more.
“Hair Curlers” on the Horizon
The four unique spires that define the Kansas City skyline (and the right edge of our convention logo) are a major structural element of the Bartle Hall Convention Center. Sometimes called “hair curlers,” the four 330-foot pylons are constructed of concrete and steel, and suspend the convention center’s cavernous, column-free exhibit space over Interstate 670, an eight-lane freeway that runs beneath it. The pylons are topped with Art-Deco inspired sculptures, called “Sky Stations,” that measure approximately 20 feet high and 24-feet by 15-feet across. Named for Harold Roe Bartle, a two-term mayor of KC during the 1950s and 1960s, Bartle Hall is the largest column-free environment in the world and was the first structure in Kansas City to meet green building standards and earn a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating.
Bartle Hall Convention Center is located on the south side of 13th Street, between Wyandotte Avenue and Central Street. The facility isn’t open for tours, but its box office is open Monday through Friday, from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and two hours prior to all events.
To view the Convention Center’s event calendar, visit www.kcconvention.com.
Preserving History
Kansas City’s pride and patriotism are reflected in two sites that are sure to interest FRA and Auxiliary members while they’re in town. Shuttles to and/or tours of the National World War I Museum and the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum will be available during the conventions.
Remembering World War I
The National World War I Museum boasts one of the greatest collections of World War I artifacts in the world, displayed in a state-of-the-art facility that brings history to life through highly interactive exhibits. Visitors describe the experience as both emotional and educational, because the museum seeks to tell the story of the war through the eyes of those who lived it. The museum is located in the city’s Liberty Memorial, which is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of World War I.
During Convention Week, the museum will host two special exhibits. Man and Machine: The German Soldier in WWI will feature machine guns and other war-related hardware, and present the war from the perspective of the German soldiers who used them. Many of the documents and artifacts will be on exhibit for the first time.
In the Spotlight: Hindenburg’s Coat is the second in the museum’s Spotlight series. German Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg’s 1915 field jacket and field cap are the newest addition to the unique historical objects in the Museum’s collection.
The National World War I Museum is located at 100 W 26th St.; phone 816-784-1945. During Convention Week, it will be open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Admission ranges from $6 (for youth ages 6 to 17) to $12 for adults. Discounts are available for students and seniors (age 65+); there is no charge for active duty military and military retirees.
Shuttles will run from the Convention Hotel to the WWI Museum during Convention Week.
Visit www.theworldwar.org for more information.
The Gentleman from Missouri
The Truman Presidential Museum & Library honors Harry S. Truman, Missouri’s native son, who became our nation’s 33rd president. It’s one of ten presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The museum’s major ongoing exhibits highlight Truman’s term as president and provide a broader look at Truman’s formative years, personal and political life, and beyond.
The Presidential Years is the centerpiece of the museum and showcases the major issues and events of Harry Truman’s presidency. Through a series of enhanced audio and video programs, and new interactive elements, this exhibition highlights Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb, his stunning 1948 election upset over New York Governor Thomas Dewey, and the evolution of the Cold War.
Harry S. Truman: His Life and Times captures the personal side of Truman and his family through original artifacts, photographs, letters and manuscripts, along with audiovisual programs and interactive exhibits. Beginning with his formative years in Independence, Mo., the exhibit includes his World War I combat service; his love affair with his wife, Bess; his devotion to daughter Margaret; his public service as a county judge and Missouri senator; the personal side of life in the White House; and his retirement years after leaving office in 1953.
The Truman Presidential Museum & Library is located at 500 W. U.S. Highway 24 in Independence, Mo.; phone 816-268-8200 or 1-800-833-1225. Hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday, noon – 5:00 pm on Sunday. Admission to the museum’s permanent exhibits and attractions, is $7 for adults,$5 for seniors, $3 for children ages 6 to 18, and free for children 5 years and under.
The Convention Committee is planning a tour of the Truman Presidential Museum & Library on Thursday, October 27. The cost is $15 and includes admission and transportation.
For more information on the Museum and programs, call visit www.trumanlibrary.org.
KC Sights
Kansas Citians are justifiably proud of the landmarks that make their city unique. Here are just a few you might want to check out when you’re in town.
Water, Water Everywhere
With more than 200 fountains within its limits, Kansas City’s official nickname is “The City of Fountains.” It runs a close second to Rome as the city with the most fountains in the world and is home to the largest privately-funded fountain on the planet — a 322-foot fountain and waterfall display outside the KC Royal’s Kaufman Stadium.
The City of Fountains Foundation works to encourage the development of and funding for more fountains in Kansas City. Visitors can request a free walking/driving guide to all KC’s fountains by calling 816-842-2299or visiting www.kcfountains.org.
The Royal Treatment
Kansas City’s Crown Center is in the heart of the city’s downtown area and is often called a city within a city. The Hyatt Regency Crown Center, our hotel for Convention Week, is part of this sprawling complex that attracts five million visitors a year. In addition to its three levels of shopping, dining and entertainment options, it’s also the worldwide headquarters for Hallmark Cards, Inc.
The Hallmark Visitors Center celebrates the personal expression company’s history since it was founded by J.C. Hall in 1910. You’ll see historical artifacts that reflect cultural trends, marvel at Mr. Hall’s 17 unique and imaginative Christmas trees, watch Hallmark craftsmen demonstrate the tools of their trade and enjoy a virtual visit with Maxine — a popular Hallmark character.
The Hallmark Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 am – 4:40 pm; Saturday, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm; closed on Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.hallmarkvisitorscenter.com.
For Kids of All Ages
Kansas City has some attractions that are just plain fun for everyone. Here are a couple for the kid in all of us! 
Go Wild!
Voted KC’s favorite overall attraction, the Kansas City Zoo features an impressive collection of animals, including its newest resident, Nikita, the polar bear. He joined the KCZ family in 2010 and is housed with other polar bears in an arctic playground that features recreated glaciers, a large sandbox and a 140,000 gallon pool. With multiple indoor and outdoor viewing angles, guests can admire these magnificent northern species through 2.25-inch-thick glass windows.
The Zoo also features Snakes Alive, a diverse collection of “sensational super serpents;” an indoor rainforest full of primates, birds and tropical plants; and Beaks and Feet Boulevard, where visitors can watch macaws crack nuts with their beaks, tamarins use their feet to grip and climb, and waterfowl use their webbed feet as paddles.  
The Kansas City Zoo is located in the heart of historic Swope Park at 6800 Zoo Drive; phone 816-513-5800. The zoo is open from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm daily and is accessible by public bus. (Take the #53-Armour-Swope Park bus.) Zoo admission is $11.50 for adults, $8.50 for children ages 3-11; $10.50 for seniors, with additional charges for train, tram and carousel rides.
Visit www.kansascityzoo.org for more information. 
Fun! Fun! Fun!
Opening for its 39th season, Worlds of Fun amusement park is a family playground for all ages. The park’s existing array of thrill rides, traditional roller coasters, live shows and attractions will be augmented this year with the addition of a classic M.C. Illions carousel. The 1926 carousel, one of only two in operation today, was built for the nation’s Sesqui-Centennial Celebration in Philadelphia and has been carefully restored to its original beauty.
During Convention Week, FRA shipmates and Auxiliary members can enjoy the park’s seasonally themed Halloween Haunt. By day, the park takes on a friendly air, filled with pumpkins and seasonal decorations, a Trick-or-Treat Town, Halloween-themed shows and contests. As night falls, fog fills the park and frightening characters roam the midway. Nine Extreme Haunts are included in the regular admission price from September 17 to October 30.
Worlds of Fun is located at 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue; phone 816-454-4545. The park is only open on weekends in October and hours vary. Single day admission costs $43.99 per person; children under 48 inches tall and seniors age 62 and older pay $21.99. Discounts are also available for two-day passes. Visit www.worldsoffun.com for more information.

Full-Sized Fun for Grown-Ups
The Spirit of Hank Williams
Convention attendees will have the opportunity to attend a performance of Nobody Lonesome for Me at the American Heartland Theatre on Wednesday, October 26. The production is a one-man show that tells the story of Hank Williams’ life. Written by Lanie Robertson, the play takes place on New Year’s Eve 1952 at a West Virginia gas station, where Williams spent the last night of his short life. During his conversation with the audience, the famous singer-songwriter talks about his music, his impoverished childhood, and his relationships with his mother, first wife and son, Randall Hank, who would follow in his father’s entertainment footsteps to become Hank Williams, Jr.
The American Heartland Theatre is located at 2450 Grand Boulevard, Suite 314. Tickets for the FRA and Auxiliary performance on October 26th will be $21, which includes transportation and admission. Learn more about the performance venue at www.ahtkc.com.
American Classics in the Making
The Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations in Kansas City produces the Sportster®, Dyna and VRSC families of motorcycles from fabrication through final assembly — the only Harley-Davidson plant to produce an entire motorcycle from start to finish. Visit the 358,000-square-foot factory and see how people and process converge to transform raw materials into custom American muscle.
The tour center includes an introductory film and a series of exhibits that demonstrate Harley-Davidson’s manufacturing and assembly processes and illustrate the individual and collaborative skills necessary to produce each motorcycle.
The Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations plant is located at 11401 N Congress Ave.; phone 877-883-1450. Fully enclosed shoes are required and cameras are prohibited. Storage lockers are available. Visitors should call in advance for the free tours, whichare offered Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm.
To learn more, visit www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/Factory_Tours/kansas_city.html.
A Howling Good Time
Billed as “the World’s Greatest Rock ‘N’ Roll Dueling Piano Show,” Howl at the Moon offers an energized atmosphere and double-duty entertainment as their piano players take the stage two at a time. Howl’s talented performers will tickle the ivories as well as your funny bone while playing the best music from the 1970s to today. Audience participation adds to the fun, so don’t miss the hourly “Showtime,” where staff members invite guests to join in a choreographed routine set to popular tunes from nostalgic TV shows and commercial jingles.
Kansas City’s Howl at the Moon is located at 1334 Grand Blvd.; phone 816-471-HOWL. They’re open from 7:00 pm – 2:00 am, Tuesday through Thursday; 5:00 pm – 3:00 am on Fridays; and 7:00 pm – 3:00 am on Saturdays.
Visit www.howlatthemoon.com/locations/location-kansas-city to watch videos of the show and learn about nightly specials.
Lagers, Pilsners and Ales, Oh My!
While you’re in KC, take a tour of Boulevard Brewing Company, the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. Learn about Boulevard’s fine traditional ingredients and the best of old and new brewing technologies and, better yet, sample some of their fresh, full-flavored beers.
Founded in 1989, Boulevard operates in a turn-of-the-century brick building on Kansas City’s historic Southwest Boulevard. Its first keg of Boulevard Pale Ale was delivered in founder John McDonald’s pick-up truck to a local restaurant and, since then, the distinctive KC brews have become popular in 19 states.
Boulevard Brewing Company, located at 2501 Southwest Boulevard, offers complimentary tours Wednesdays through Sundays. Times vary by date and reservations are required. Call 816-474-7095 to save yourself a spot or get more details.
Visit www.boulevard.com to learn more.

Convention Info &Schedule of Events
Monday, October 24
Golf
Golf Dinner
Shuttles to WWI Museum

Tuesday, October 25
Past Regional Presidents Board	of Directors Meeting
Pre-Convention National Board of Directors Meeting – FRA & Auxiliary 
Shuttles to WWI Museum
Casino Run
Workshop(s)

Wednesday, October 26
Joint Opening Ceremonies
Past National Presidents Luncheon – FRA & Auxiliary 
Regional Presidents and Elects, Regional Vice Presidents Luncheons – FRA & Auxiliary
1st Business Sessions – FRA & Auxiliary Workshop(s)
Tour to Theater Production of “Nobody Lonesome for Me” ($21 pp)

Thursday, October 27
Past Regional Presidents Breakfast – FRA
Committee Meetings
Past Regional Presidents Luncheon – FRA Auxiliary
Tour to Truman Museum & Library ($15 pp) 
Business Sessions
Workshop(s)

Friday, October 28
Business Sessions
National Presidents’ Luncheon – FRA Auxiliary ($33 pp)
Workshop(s)
Evening Event
Welcome Aboard Party

Saturday, October 29 
Business Sessions
Installation Rehearsal
Installation of Officers
National Presidents’ Reception
Banquet and Grand Ball ($51 pp)

Sunday, October 30
Post-Convention National Board of Directors Meetings – FRA & Auxiliary

*This schedule is tentative and subject to change.

Convention Hotel Information:  
This year’s national conventions are being hosted by Mo-Kan Branch and Unit 161, and will be held at the Hyatt Regency, Crown Center Hotel, 2345 McGee Street, Kansas City, Mo. To make reservations, call 888-421-1442 (toll-free) or 816-421-1234 and ask for the FRA Convention rate of $107/night (plus tax). 

To make reservations for tours, the National Presidents’ Luncheon and the Banquet and Ball, please complete the form on page 25 and return the form and check (payable to 84th FRA National Convention Committee) to Treasurer 84th FRA Nat’l Convention Committee, 1008 SW Foxtail Dr. Grain Valley, MO 64029.

Your Mission – Your Voice Teleconference
Join FRA staff and Convention Committee members for a free teleconference about Kansas City and Convention on May 11 at Noon (EST). Please dial 1-800-391-1709 and enter bridge number 444143). We hope you will join us for the call!

We record the calls and post on www.fra.org under Member News (follow the link to the right when you login to the site) for those who are unable to attend at the designated time

Lauren Armstrong is the Contributing Editor and an Auxiliary Member at Large. She can be reached at lauren@fra.org.
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News from the Branches

BRANCH 289  Imperial Beach, California
Membership Chairman Ralph Brown presents Shipmate George Luhrs with a certificate and lapel pin commemorating 50 continuous years in the FRA. 

BRANCH 347  Salisbury, Maryland
RPEC Chris Slawinski congratulates Shipmate Victor Gagner for his 50 years of continuous FRA membership. 

BRANCH 202  Columbia, South carolina
Shipmate William G. Loging (left) received his 40-year continuous membership pin from Branch President Ted Mauldin.

BRANCH 298  Grand Rapids, Michigan
PRPNC Marty Posekany was selected as Kent County (Michigan) Veteran of the Year by the United Veterans Council of Kent County. Presenting the award is last year’s Kent County Veteran of the Year Mike Burri, Commander of Kent County Veterans Honor Guard. Posekany is in good company; the first Kent County Veteran of the Year (1949) was Gerald R. Ford Jr.  Shipmate Jan Roy from Branch 298 was also nominated for this prestigious honor.

BRANCH 267  Greater St. Louis, Missouri
Shipmates (back row, left to right) Ferrington, Cole, Branch President Hollowood, Neiswenter, Schonhorst, (kneeling) Branch Secretary Taylor, Piva and Partin presented a check to Rachel Fernandez (center), manager of the Fisher House at Jefferson Barracks VA Hospital.

BRANCH 20  Groton, Connecticut 
Branch President Rick Aiken poses with Shipmate Joseph Mehalick (right), who was recognized for 55 years of continuous FRA membership.

BRANCH 358  Oscoda, Michigan
Shipmate John Bradford congratulates Andy Lundberg on his 40 years of continuous FRA membership.

BRANCH 22  Pensacola, Florida
Branch President Bob Hall (right) and Monument Committee Chairman Shipmate Don Krauss (left) flank Larry Robinson of the VA at the dedication of the FRA Memorial Monument at Barrancas National Cemetery. 

BRANCH 84  San Diego, California
Branch President Emmanuel “Manny” Cabildo (left) was selected 3rd runner-up for Veteran of the Year by the City of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission. Shown here with Cesar Solis, San Diego Assistant Chief of Police, Cabildo was the only Filipino American retired United States Navy selected for this high honor.

BRANCH 294  Crossville, Tennessee
Marshall Pickard (holding $100 Savings Bond) is all smiles as he is congratulated on his Americanism Essay Contest win by (left to right) Branch Secretary/Treasurer Joseph Lentini, Past Branch President Richard Martin; his parents Anna and Steven Pickard; and Branch President Doug Spangler.
To submit a photo for News from the Branches, please e-mail a photo as an attachment in jpeg format to FRAToday@fra.org or mail a high-quality photograph to FRA Today, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314.  Please include a brief description of the photograph and include the names of those pictured. Laser prints and scanned copies of photographs cannot be accepted. 

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Reunions 
Gitmo Bay Association
August 23–27, 2011, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York. Contact John Kellett, PO Box 387, Mt Wolf, PA 17347, 717-266-1102, johnkwolves@yahoo.com.
MCB 11 & 11th NCB Seabees
September 21–25, 2011, Nashville, Tennessee. Contact Larry Hagler, 21012 Boggy Ford Rd, Lago Vista, TX 78645, 512-267-8873, MCB11reunion@earthlink.net.
MCB1/MCB9/MCB10
September 15–18, 2011, Gulfport, Mississippi. Contact Peter Dowd, 781-837-0393, mcb1reunion@verizon.net.
Mine Division 113 Vietnam
September 29–October 2, 2011, Chicago, Illinois. Contact Dick Schreifels, 247 14th Ave. So., South St. Paul, MN 55075, 651-455-1876, MineDiv113Reunion@msn.com.
NANP/Navy Photo
September 14–19, 2011, New Orleans, Louisiana. Contact Tim Timmerman, 620 Riverview Dr., Ellenton, FL 34222, 941-720-1719, timnjudy1@verizon.net.
Navy Classifiers (Retired) PN 2612-2616
September 21–23, 2011, Omaha, Nebraska. Contact Walt Rempe, 402-366-1078.
Navy Nuclear Weapons Association
October 12–16, 2011, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Contact Dave Cobb, 352-454-2660, davecobb2@comcast.net.
Parachute Riggers Association Inc.
September 6–9, 2011, Reno, Nevada. Contact Robert Corrow, 530-542-0642, robertcorrow@sbcglobal.net.
TACAMO (VQ-3, VQ-4, VQ-7)
September 2–4, 2011, Patuxent River, Maryland. Contact Mike Voss or Jim Gallagher, 301-373-5924, oldtacamo@yahoo.com.
US Nantahala (AO-60)
August 22–28, 2011; Warwick, Rhode Island. Contact Hank O’Connell, 167 Harper St., Jesup, GA 31546, 912-427-4080, hankoc@bellsouth.net.
USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869)
September 21–24, 2011, Chicago, Illinois. Contact Barry Dahlberg, 708-203-1445, evba@usa.com.
USS Askari (ARL-30) All Crews
August 31–September 4, 2011, Indianapolis, Indiana. Contact Lee Daley, 407-275-0314, leethebaker@gmail.com.
USS Beale (DDE/DD-471)
August 5–7, 2011, Duluth, Minnesota. Contact Leroy Thurn, 320-233-7340, idtretired@frontier.com.
USS Benjamin Stoddert (DDG-22)
September 28–October 02, 2011, Jacksonville, Florida. Contact John Dishaw, 3035 Charlotte St., Newbury Park, 
CA 91320, 805-480-4038, jbdishaw@verizon.net.
USS Boxer (CV/CVA/CVS-21, LPH-4/LHD-4)
August 31–September 3, 2011, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Contact Gerry Beddington, 167 Pleasant St., Pembroke, MA 02359-2340, 781-826-5035, gersubed@verizon.net.
USS Brush (DD-745)
September 12–15, 2011, Portland, Maine. Contact John Larney, PO Box 153, Medway, MA 02053, 508-935-8929, j.larney@comcast.net.
USS Chilton
October 13–16, 2011, Portsmouth, Virginia. Contact Ken Agresto, 757-588-8802, bagresto@aim.com.
USS Columbus (CA-74/CG-12/SSN-762)
September 21–24, 2011, Arlington, Virginia. Contact Al Hope, Pres., 260-486-2221, hope4391@frontier.com.
USS Cusk (SS-348)
September 9–13, 2012, Shelton, Washington. Contact Bill Hrbacek, 60 W. Shadow Valley Dr., Shelton, WA, 360-427-6220, hrb-bp@q.com.
USS Dogfish (SS 350)
September 7–10, 2011, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Contact Herb Saunders, 203 Rogers Drive, Stoughton, MA 02072, 781-344-5647, hanklyn@comcast.net.
USS Dyess (DD/DDR-880)
September 24–29, 2011, Bayonne, New Jersey. Contact Mike Lenzi, 615 Farnum Rd., Media, PA 19063, 610-566-6843, mjlenzi@verizon.net.
USS Eversole (DD-789)
September 14–17, 2011, Chicago, Illinois. Contact Thomas Trainman, 218 Whistle Way, Locust Grove, GA 30248, 770-320-7511, tjt1958@yahoo.com.
USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884)
September 12–19, 2011, Washington, D.C. Contact Bill Birdsong, 17139 Owl Tree Rd, Riverside CA 92504, 951-789-5309, soonbil@gmail.com.
USS Goldsborough (DDG-20)
September 11–16, 2011. Cincinnati, Ohio. Contact Pat Taylor, 120 East Main St., Eaton, OH 45320, 800-433-6061/937-533-0897, pat@pattaylorphoto.com. Visit www.ussgoldsborough.com for details.
USS Higbee (DDR/DD-806)
September 28–October 02, 2011, St. Louis, Missouri. Contact Gil Rodello, 829 S. 43rd St., Springfield, OR 97478, 541-747-1408, gilrodhigbee@comcast.net.
USS Hornet (CV-8/CV-12/CVA-12/CVS-12) / U.S. Navy-Marines
September 14–18, 2011, Washington, D.C. Contact Carl & Sandy Burket, PO Box 108, Roaring Spring, PA 16673, 814-224-5063, hornetcva@aol.com.
USS Ingersoll (DD-652/DD-990)
September 22–25, 2011, San Diego, California. Contact Tom Hamrick, 619-435-9338, XO-D652@earthware.net.
USS Lenawee (APA-195)
September 22–24, 2011, San Pedro, California. Contact Jack Reed, 3945 Bradford St., Spc. 42, La Verne, CA 91750, 909-596-4924, jreed195@msn.com.
USS Leyte (CV-32)
September 28–October 2, 2011, Nashville, Tennessee. Contact Le Grande W. Van Wagenen, 43 Frederick Place, Parlin, NJ 08859-1811, 732-727-5993, leyte1956@aol.com.
USS Mispillion (AO-105)
September 8–10, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa. Contact Steve Dengler, 1211 Pueblo Ln., Auburn, IL 62615, (217) 741-6311.
USS New Mexico (BB-40)
September 22–25, 2011, St. Louis, Missouri. Contact Vernon G. Dascher, 3064 De Villa Trail, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-9413.
USS Pickaway (APA-222)
September 22–25, 2011, Boston, Massachusetts. Contact Jim Crawford, 527 Childers Ln, Ringgold, GA 30736, 423-605-9082, reunionpickaway@gmail.com.
USS Prichett (DD-561)
September 20–25, 2011, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Contact Don Calvin, 305 Columbus St, Coatsburg, IL 62325, 217-455-3167, ramona@adams.net.
USS Rupertus (DD-851) Association
September 8–11, 2011, Branson, Missouri. Contact Pete Spoonhower, 54512 Seeley Lane, Center, MO 63436, 573-267-3510, pjspoony@missvalley.com.
USS Rushmore (LSD-14/LSD-47)
September 14–18, 2011, Charleston, South Carolina. Contact Earl Crain, 2035 Berrywood St., Coeur D Alene, ID 83815, 208-667-5519, hecrain@yahoo.com.
USS Sea Robin (SS-407)
September 14–18, 2011, Silverdale, Washington. Contact Richard French, PO Box 2433, Sequim, WA 98382-2433, 360-681-7247, apart@olypen.com.
USS Spinax (SS/SSR-489) – All Crews 
August 28–September 3, 2011, Branson, Missouri. Contact Jerry Cartwright, 1456 Lincolnshire Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73159, 405-692-5380, moondauggy@sbcglobal.net, www.bransongrandplaza.com or www.spinax.com.
USS Surfbird (AM/MSF/ADG-383)
September 21–25, 2011, St. Louis, Missouri. Contact Don Gillispie, 3285 SW 176th Ave, Aloha, OR 97006, 503-649-4803, WebMaster@surfbird383.org.
USS Thomaston (LSD-28)/U.S. Navy
September 22–24, 2011, Denver, Colorado. Contact John at 352-382-0246 or mmcret81@tampabay.rr.com.
USS Ticonderoga (CV/CVA/CVS-14, CG-47)
May 27–31, 2011, Washington, D.C. Contact Al McDonnell, 415-290-4914.
USS Warrington (DD-843)/U.S. Navy
September 21–25, 2011, Nashville, Tennessee. Contact Stan Prager, 916-791-6700, Stashuman843@msn.com.
USS Westchester County (LST-1167)
June 2–5, 2011, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Contact Al Wittich, 3832 Gay Rd Ea., Tacoma, WA 98443, 253-922-9357, lst-enc@comcast.net.
VP-44
September 21–24, 2011, Saint Louis, Missouri. Contact Les Dennis, 2143 Woodlet Park Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63017-5034, 636-532-0460, ljdennis@charter.net.
VPB/VP 26
September 25–29, 2011, Williamsburg, Virginia. Contact Gene Balog, 1355 Coconut Palm Cir., Port Orange FL 32128, 386-763-4868, bilgepump@bellsouth.net.
VR-52 Det. Detroit/VR-62 Detroit 
(NAF Detroit)
August 19–21, 2011, Port Clinton, Ohio. Contact ADCS Bill Borrusch, 8903 York Dr., Hudson, FL 34667, 
727-862-6343, adcsbill@juno.com.
Going to a reunion?
Reunions are a great place to promote FRA membership! Contact Outreach Manager Bob Washington at 1-800-FRA-1924 ext. 113 or bobw@fra.org to request a guest speaker or materials to distribute at the reunion. FRA can also provide you with talking points to speak on at the reunion about legislative issues that affect you and your shipmates.
 Help your shipmates be informed and involved with what is happening on Capitol Hill by inviting them to visit the Action Center on www.fra.org and contact their elected officials. You can also offer a free subscription to NewsBytes, FRA’s weekly legislative email update. Anyone interested need only send their contact information to newsbytes@fra.org with “subscribe” in the subject line.

Members can post reunions online at www.fra.org, submit to reunions@fra.org or mail to: FRA Reunions, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314.

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Looking For …
William (Bill) Macha
Stationed at Edzell, Scotland, around 1974-1975. He possibly went on to be a Navy diver. Please contact Dick Decker (living in New Zealand) at deckerdick@clear.net.nz. 
AT1 Elwin C. “Hank” Hall, Jr.
Reported aboard the USS America on August 18, 1973, with the HC-2 Fleet Angels. Last known address was PO Box 104, Middlefield, MA 01243. Please contact Don Scacchi AMS1A/C (Ret.) at beaware@atlanticbb.net.
HMCS James C. Nelson, USN (Ret.) and wife, Coleen
Please contact HMC Peter A. Niemi, USN (Ret.) at paniepm@aol.com.
BT3 Joe Minowski, from Philadelphia, Pennyslvania,
BT2 Robert Calintine, from Indiana
I served with both on USS Helena (CA-75) in 1949 and 1950. If you know these shipmates or served with me, please contact BTC Harry Highland, USN (Ret.) at 307-259-0530. 
Chief Aviation Electronics Technician James Ray Barnes
Last known address NAS Cecil Field, Fla. Contact Lloyd Wolfe at lloydwolfe2@verizon.net.
Navy Nuclear Weapons Personnel and those affiliated with the Personnel Reliability Program 
For more information, contact David Cobb at 1536 Lozano Ave, Lady Lake, FL 32159, 352-454-2660, 
davecobb2@comcast.net or visit www.navynucweps.com to contact any board member. 
Francis “Frank” Thomas Daly
a.k.a. “Drizzle.” Former CT, born in New York and attended the “snobby school” Cardinal Hayes High School, as did Regis Philbin and Bob Haggerty, another CT. Frank also served at DU MOROC, Bremerhaven. Contact Tugboat Bud Stillwaggon, a.k.a. “Tabuzza” at 1512 W. Chestnut Ave., Yakima, WA 98902 or 509-248-4880.
Richard Slater
He was on the USS Cleveland in 1989, which was docked in San Diego, Calif., at the time. I believe he was originally from South Carolina. The last time I saw him, he said something that led me to believe he was ill. It’s been on my heart for many years and I’m interested in knowing if he is still alive. If you have any information, please contact Stephanie Bell, 2022 Lewis Trail, Grand Prairie, TX 75052, 817-673-7766.
MMCS “Barney” Wilson
He served at the Guam Commissary Store, 1967-1968. Contact Dick Watson at sadiedog6@juno.com. 
RD2 Michael Hughes
I saw your letter in the March 2011 edition of FRA Today and remember you from the USS Sanctuary (AH-17), where I served from July 1966 to November 1967. Please contact YNC David Seymour, USN (Ret.), at 510-724-1636 or USN4Ever6487@yahoo.com.
These notices are published on a space available basis. Notices must be submitted in writing. E-mail fratoday@fra.org or mail your request to: FRA, Looking for…, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA, 22314.

Finding Friends and Shipmates
In addition to the monthly “Looking For …” column in FRA Today, shipmates can use FRA’s online networks to find friends from the past. 

FRA’s Online “Looking For” Community: www.fra.org/communities
By clicking the “FRA Readers” link and then the “Looking For” link, shipmates can post a notice with information about the person they’re seeking. Be as specific as possible about names, nicknames, ships or duty stations, and when you were affiliated with them. Shipmates must log in to the site in order to participate in the communities. Log-in directions are available on the sign-in page.

FRA on Facebook:  www.fra.org/fb
By posting an “I’m trying to locate” message on FRA’s Facebook page, you can reach the growing number of folks who “like” us online. It’s also easy to post photos of the person you’re trying to find, as well as other identifying information about them. 

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 taps 
Name	Branch
Acworth, Rodger, M, USN	MAL
Adams, Russell, L, CPO, USN	MAL
Aldridge, George, R, POC, USN	105
Aleksick, Joseph, H, AOC, USN	008
Allred, James, N, AVCM, USN	061
Anderson, Jacob, J, MS2, USN	219
Aranas, Juan, T, SD1, USN	008
Artero, Antonio, T., PO1, USN	073

Bailey, Donald, J, HMC, USN	175
Baker, Lyle, L, HM1, USN	MAL
Barr, Andrew, H, ETCS, USN	005
Bartz, John, E, GMGC, USN	009
Bastin, Paul, I, YNCS, USN	094
Bender, Paul, A., AME1, USN	241
Bennett, David, D, DPC, USN	163
Bennett, Alan, CUCM, USN	MAL
Benningfield, Leslie, ATC	MAL
Benway, Charley, W, RM1, USN	166
Berry, Wilbert, F, ENCM, USN	017
Black, Ronald, CPO, USN	MAL
Blair, George, C, RDC, USN	042
Bloyd, Donald, A, SKC, USN	008
Bohannon, Larry, K, SKCM(SS), USN	269
Bortmas, William, D, HMCS, USN	MAL
Bradley, Richard, C, YNCM, USN	034
Brasher, Billy, L, AK1, USN	MAL
Brusoe, Kenneth, F, SWC, USN	117
Burkholder, John, H, HMCS, USN	319

Cameron, Robert, P, QMC, USN	024
Campbell, William, F, CWO, USMC	141
Campbell, Leo, A, GMCS, USN	156
Carroll, Roy, C, HTC, USN	MAL
Chupinski, Stanley, ENC(SS), USN	008
Cooper, Charles, W., USN	170
Coppins, Jerry, B, ISCM, USN	MAL
Crouch, Walter, A, ENC, USN	168

D’Aiuto, Edmund, SK1, USN	017
D’Aquin, Lawrence, Paul, CPO, USN	162
Dalzell, James, W, CWO4, USN	126
Daniel, John, S, CDR, USN	126
Davis, H, M, AMCS, USN	MAL
Dellis, Oscar, W, SMC, USN	282
Ditto, Kenneth, W, ETCS(SS), USN	MAL
Duker, James, W, MSGT, USMC	126
Dunn, Roy, L, CTRCS, USN	MAL

Edmands, David, EO1, USNR	MAL
Eller, James, R, PO1, USN	289
Evans, Michael, R, DS2, USN	280

Fellowes, John, H, CAPT, USN	024
Filkins, Don, N, FTCM, USN	034
Fish, Phillip, V, CWO4, USN	061
Ford, Lindon, W, GMGC, USN	334
Foster, Richard, H, ADRC, USN	MAL
Fuller, Russell, E, SK1, USN	017

Gerhard, Charles, F, BTC, USN	226
Giles, James, S., USN	MAL
Glod, Joseph, T, HTC, USN	203
Glover, Dewey, W, SFC, USN	204
Gosch, David, CE1, USN	136
Graham, James, Carrell, ADCS, USN	MAL
Grayson, Kenneth, A, MMC, USN	MAL
Groves, Richard, C, MUC, USN	067

Hall, Joyce, USN	MAL
Hamilton, C, H, SGTMAJ, USMC	MAL
Harreld, Dale, RMCS, USN	315
Haskins, Matthew, V, DPC, USN	001
Hatton, Bryce, T, DCC, USN	276
Hebner, Jack, AFCM, USN	MAL
Henn, Robert, J, POC, USN	037
Hohmeier, George, CPO, USN	024
Howell, James, P, PRC, USN	163
Hubbard, Glenn, A, ADRC, USN	013
Hurtt, Raymond, M, STCM, USN	047

Inks, Roy, E, FTMC, USN	181

Johnson, Clarence, D, YNCS, USN	249
Johnson, Ray, D, IC1, USN	055
Jolles, Lee, HMC, USN	182
Justice, Jack, K, MMCS, USN	289

Keller, Joseph, E, ADCS, USN	022
Kelley, Daniel, S, RMC, USN	316
Kerwin, James, H, RMC, USN	031
Killinger, William, H, AEC, USN	136
King, Robert, E, ATC, USN	097
Kolbe, Edward, M, CWO, USCG	057
Kornhauser, Arnold, M, ETCS, USN	010

Larson, Ludwig, J, DTCM, USN	022
Lepczyk, Marion, J, GYSGT, USMC	MAL
Leshinski, Matthew, L, MSGT, USMC	001
Lindsey, Charles, M, LCDR, USN	070
Loebig, Jackson, M, MMCM, USN	237
Lohr, Homer, H, CTRCS, USN	207

Mack, Judson, C, LT, USN	053
MacKenzie, Donald, P, ENC(SS), USN	275
Magistrini, Esther, F, CPO, USN	049
Magner, Joseph, L, MSC, USN	MAL
Mancil, James, W, HMC(DV), USN	MAL
Manwill, Glade, O, ETCS, USN	008
Marshbanks, Ralph, H, GYSGT, USMC	208
Martin, Leo, PO3, USN	275
Martini, Johnny, EOC, USN	175
McLaughlin, Ronald, E, ADJC, USN	MAL
McMahan, Charles, D, CPO, USN	MAL
McNeil, William, J, CPO(SS), USN	003
Meadows, Charles, E, DKC, USN	057
Meck, Chester, R, MGYSGT, USMC	MAL
Mekus, Richard, F, PNC, USN	023
Merciez, Walter, R, EOCS, USN	041
Merrell, Elmer, B, BMC, USN	MAL
Milnes, Karl, W, BT1, USN	MAL
Mitchell, Wilburn, ENC, USN	MAL
Mitchusson, Richard, A, YNCS, USN	310
Moore, Charles, D, AVCM, USN	MAL
Morgan, John, A, MGYSGT, USMC	MAL
Morin, Richard, A, HMC, USN	023
Morrell, Daniel, LCDR, USNR	MAL
Mosher, Lloyd, A, CWO4, USN	MAL
Mudge, Clarence, J, BMC, USN	MAL

Navarre, Anthony, C, AEC, USN	047
Nelson, Leonard, LCDR, USN	MAL
Newcity, Richard, A, ETCM, USN	237
Newman, James, F, ENC, USN	060
Nolan, Howard, F, CPO, USN	053
Nunes, Joseph, A, AEC, USN	136

O’Dowd, John, J, ACMM, USN	013
O’Quinn, Lee, R., PNCM, USN	222
Orrey, Ronald, M, BT1, USN	060
Osborough, Harry, R, RD2, USN	MAL
Osburn, David, L, CAPT, USN	024
Owens, Major, M, PHCS, USN	022

Petty, Victor, C, TMC, USN	014
Podbevsek, Frank, M, ATC, USN	172

Ramsey, Joseph, D, ADC, USN	041
Ratley, Aubry, G, EM2, USN	008
Ratliff, Herman, S, AO1, USN	147
Ream, Gerald, R, POC, USN	097
Rice, Raymond, G, EMCS, USN	274
Roberts, William, J, FTCM(SS), USN	MAL
Robertson, Loran, J, YNCS, USN	347
Roush, William, A, SMC, USN	040
Rowe, Charles, A, AOC, USN	MAL
Ruth, Gilbert, L, PO1, USN	MAL
Ryan, Robert, M, HM1, USN	MAL

Sackett, James, B, MACM, USN	172
Scamihorn, Charles, C, BMC, USN	130
Scarfo, Joseph, A, YNC, USN	MAL
Sees, Edward, E, SH1, USN	022
Selliga, Joseph, J, QMS1, USN	MAL
Seney, Edmund, BMCS(SW), USNR	MAL
Serio, Philip, B, EMC, USN	098
Shaffer, George, H, YNCS, USN	186
PNP Smith, Eugene, ENC (SS), USN 	105
Smith, Mildred, M, YNC, USN	MAL
Smith, Arthur, H, LT, USN	060
Smith, Carl, N, ENC(SS), USN	029
Spencer, John, R, CDR, USN	070
Spicer, Charles, V, YNCS, USN	024
Springer, Walter, F, RMCS(SS), USN	061
Stanich, Robert, J, ADR1, USN	042
Stermer, Roger, R, PO1, USN	261
Stewart, Robert, C, RM1, USN	MAL
Streiber, Lawrence, H, ADJC, USN	MAL
Struz, Mike, TM1(SS), USN	067
Stulich, George, M, HM1, USN	MAL

Tabalanza, Juan, SDC, USN	127
Truax, Lavern, B, GMGC, USN	MAL
Tufo, Peter, A, CDR, USN	219
Tyndall, Glenwood, T, ADRC, USN	141

Ubl, Charles, R, GMGC, USN	136

Von Rueden, Fred, BTC, USN	249

Walton, Kenneth, G, PO1, USN	060
Walts, Earl, C, YNCS, USN	181
Waters, Robert, E, GYSGT, USMC	MAL
Wayt, Jay, L, RMC, USN	MAL
Weaver, Robin, R, AFCM, USN	327
Webb, George, G, SKC, USN	MAL
Wessel, Robert, W, CPO, USN	261
White, George, A, AECS, USN	MAL
Whitt, Lynn, M, AMHC, USN	MAL
Wilbur, Nathan, A, RDC(SS), USN	MAL
Wise, Howard, B, RMC(SS), USN	290
Wood, Jack, D, GMG1, USN	MAL
Wylie, George, E, CTAC, USN	MAL

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Auxiliary of the FRA NEWS
Greetings from National President Helen Courneya

Traveling around the Regions, we have met many members who have expressed concerns about retaining our membership as it declines. Membership in the Auxiliary, as we all know, is vital for our organization to continue. Some inquiries into who is eligible for membership in the Auxiliary have been received and this needs to be addressed beginning at the Unit level. One of the questions presented by a prospective member who isn’t eligible because she has no sponsor is, “Why am I not able to join the Auxiliary?” It is not our position to turn new members away, but we have to abide by the IRS ruling that has set the guidelines for non-profit organizations such as ours. If you want to become part of the Auxiliary and have no Navy, Marine or Coast Guard sponsor, ask the Unit you are involved with to submit your resolution to become an Honorary Member. You are important to the Auxiliary and we would welcome you as an Honorary Member. 
Jackie Scarbro, our Goodwill Ambassador, has been instrumental in recruitment as she travels to Units and Regions. Jackie has made up small packets that contain a membership application and National President’s business card, along with a flag pin she distributes. Jackie is an asset in promoting membership. May we continue to strive in membership and growth in the Auxiliary!
As National President, I have had many conversations regarding the National President’s Project, “The Homeless Veterans Crisis Program.” Some members have asked how the money raised will help homeless veterans.  My answer is this: If we can help by buying a bus ticket home for a veteran to be with family or pay for a hotel room until he/she can secure services through the VA, then we have succeeded.  Please join me by donating to this worthwhile project. Thank you to all who have given monetary donations to the National President’s Project.
The National Convention will be held in Kansas City, Mo., at the Hyatt Hotel, October 24–30, 2011, and I invite all Auxiliary members to attend. Thank you to all the members for their hospitality as I travel through the regions.  May we look forward to continued success in the Auxiliary of the FRA.

Fran Hoadley is the editor of LA FRA News and the FRA Today Liaison
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