FRAtoday August 2020
comunicaitons
FROM THE FANTAIL
SHIPMATE FORUM	5
On & Off captol hill	7
FEATURE  STORies
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS19
SHIPMATE NEWS20
TAPS21
Reunions	24
AUXILIARY OF THE FRA26
FINANCE MATTERS27

COMMINICATIONS

Happy Birthday USCG

The U.S. Coast Guard has five missions: marine safety, which includes environmental and safety inspections and licensing for boating; ice operations, including ice-breaking, international patrol, and exploration; law enforcement for fisheries, immigration, and illegal drugs; national security, and search & rescue.
Understandably, the Coast Guard is proud of its many peacetime activities, but it is also proud of its service during times of war. The “system of cutters” had only seven years of experience when it fought in the Quasi-War with France and then the War of 1812. The smaller, lightly armed cutters proved their worth.
The Coast Guard adopted the awarding and displaying of battle streamers in 1968, following the same practice adopted earlier by the U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. Army, however, was the first U.S. armed service to begin the practice of awarding and displaying battle streamers, beginning officially in 1920. The names of battles were inscribed on organizational guidons to indicate battle honors. 
Streamers are attached to the Coast Guard standard, replacing cords and tassels. They are carried in all ceremonies, representing heroic actions in all naval encounters from 1798 to the Vietnam War and beyond. Any Coast Guard unit may display the battle streamers. The Coast Guard has authorized a total of 43 battle streamers.
The Coast Guard is one of the oldest organizations of the federal government, and until Congress established the Navy Department in 1798, it served as the nation’s only armed force afloat.  The Coast Guard has protected the nation throughout its long history and has served proudly in the majority of the nation’s conflicts. The Coast Guard’s national defense responsibilities remain one of its most important functions even today.  In times of peace, it operates as part of the Department of Homeland Security, serving as the nation’s front-line agency for enforcing the nation’s laws at sea, protecting the marine environment, the guarding the nation’s vast coastlines and ports, and saving life. In times of war, or at the direction of the president, the Coast Guard serves as part of the Navy Department.
Happy birthday and we all should take comfort in knowing the Coast Guard is doing their job.   FRA
Semper paratus,
William D. Stevenson, Editor-in-Chief

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FROM THE FANTAIL

Rising Concerns Over Defense Health Agency Planned Cuts

Retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Jim Herdt provided the following update for Shipmates on proposed cuts at the Defense Health Agency. Herdt and retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Pete Osman co-chair the Secretary of the Navy’s Retiree Council, which advocates for solutions to issues impacting the retiree community as well as those impacting all veterans, reservists, active duty service members and their families. 
The recently created Defense Health Agency has garnered a great deal of interest from a large number of military members, both active and retired. Although there are efficiencies and cost savings that may be realized by some DHA actions, one of their recent cost-saving initiatives has generated serious concerns for all, especially the active duty service member and his or her family. 
The DHA is currently in the process of greatly reducing the number of military treatment facilities and reducing the capabilities of those remaining. In concert with these actions is the mandate to reduce the number of military health care personnel by 18,000 uniformed billets. Many are convinced, and the DHA concedes, that these recent actions will eliminate or greatly reduce support for military families and retirees. This is particularly troubling for service members who are deploying or relocating. Instead of affiliating with the nearest MTF, families will have to establish relationships with new civilian providers in the community. 
Considering military families move on average every two to three years, in addition to all that a move encompasses (finding housing, schools, spouse employment, various necessary services, places of worship, etc.), these actions add another rock in the pack of the service member — the critical requirement of finding doctors and medical support for their families. Although the DHA has indicated it will ensure there is sufficient civilian medical care available in affected communities, no one can guarantee the civilian doctors or treatment facilities will take on additional patients or that the community has the specialty care that may be needed. Added to that are the additional costs associated with TRICARE. This significantly impacts the continuity of care for our service members and their families, as well as our retiree community. 
Military leaders are concerned over the impact these actions will have on our career force when a deploying service member is unsure about the medical care available to family members while deployed. For decades, military members have found it reassuring to know that during our many deployments our families have the base, station or post hospital or clinic to turn to if a family member becomes ill or injured. There is no question that many service members will seriously consider leaving the service if family members no longer have access to a MTF. 
Additionally, and some may argue most importantly, the reduction of medical billets and MTFs reduces the capability of the services to respond to national medical crises whether they come from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, foreign adversaries or infectious diseases. The need for a surge capacity in such circumstances has been starkly demonstrated by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Congress and the Office of the secretary of Defense must re-evaluate the impact these actions will have on the readiness of our forces, the morale of all service members and their families, and the military medical response capability our nation expects and needs.
We appreciate this opportunity to voice our concern on an issue of great importance to our service members and our nation.      
This article was provided by Jim Herdt MCPON (Ret.)

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sHIPMATE FORUM

The Battle of the Coral Sea
I enjoyed the article, especially with photos from the War Damage Report, which I had not seen before. I did grimace at the mention of Me-109s!!! (pg. 20, col. 2) Unfortunately, that error/disinformation slipped past you. The Imperial Japanese Navy did not have a carrier aircraft that even looked like a Me-109!  However, I have seen this error before. Early in WWII, AAF and USN frequently reported every single-engine Japanese aircraft as a “Zero.” Most were Army Ki-43 “Oscars,” which is why a system was invented using English code words to identify various types of Japanese aircraft. Have a great week!
Aloha, Bruce Dewald

For the most part, I enjoyed the article detailing the Battle of the Coral Sea. My father was a Radioman onboard USS Lexington, at the time. After the war he was separated from service, but called back for Korea. At some point he became a Journalist. He wrote an article about the battle, most likely for the Fleet Home Town News. After converting to ET, he was assigned a carrier out of San Diego (the Hornet or Wasp). When they made a WESTPAC cruise, they stopped in Australia where my Dad won some award for the article he wrote.  
After the battle, the Lexington was able to make enough speed to land all their planes. One of these planes was piloted by “Butch” O’Hare, who had just become an ace. I do take exception to the sentence that stated a Japanese escort destroyer fired torpedoes into the “Lex.” An American escort did sink the ship with torpedoes, not a Japanese ship. All in all, a good article.  
Thanks, Allen Sutherland, FTCS(SS) USN (Ret.)

New National Museum of the American Sailor 
Great FRAtoday this month [May]. While reading the story, I came across the photo on page 26 of “Billie’s Morning Bath.” I noticed that it is from the collection of QMC John Harold. It so happens that my aunt, Dolly Harold Culver was the daughter of one QMC John Harold of Ledyard CT. He had also made the Great White Fleet cruise as a QMC. I remember many a time, as a kid, listening to the sea tales and seeing pictures about his adventures under sail and power back in the day. Could this be the same QMC John Harold whose collection produced this photo? How did the collection get to the museum?
We called him “Uncle John” and he was instrumental in my joining the Navy in 1950. He also gave me my ceremonial Navy sword when I was commissioned in 1961. Additionally, I had the honor of escorting him to Arlington in the mid-60s for internment. As I recall he was pulled back into the Navy during WWII, retiring with 40 something years’ service. They don’t make sailors like him anymore.
In L. P. & S.
PRPEC P.G. Dix

Change the Name?
I “strongly” disagree with the article in the June issue that says we should allow “any and all”  individuals to become members of the FRA.
The FRA (Fleet Reserve Association) is and was dedicated to those of us who gave our time, a third of our lives, in service to the United States Navy and Marine Corps. To allow “any individual” to become a member of FRA would be telling me that MY TIME AND SERVICE DOESN’T COUNT ANYMORE AND LITERALLY NEVER DID…
I find this whole idea disgusting…
RMC Donald L. Kimble, 
U.S. NAVY (Ret.) 1955-1985
Patriots Point
Excellent article on Patriots Point, and I was very surprised to see my article on Vietnam War Veterans following the Patriots Point article. Thank you for providing the platform for a reminder for all Shipmates, and other readers, of the special notch in history for which the Vietnam War Veteran is memorialized and enshrined. 
Respectfully,
Ralph Stoney Bates
Thank You for the Magazines
Dear FRAtoday, On behalf of Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (VHSO) and Veteran patients we would like to extend our appreciation to you for your generous donation of magazines. Your help and support is greatly appreciated by our veterans.
It is through the efforts of community partners like you that allow us to continue the quality care and services that we seek to provide our deserving veterans. The commitment you have shown to our patients demonstrates your concern for America’s heroes. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you again.
Thank you for your continued support. 
Sincerely, Chief of Volunteer Service James Shulfer, CAVS, MBA
Battles of Attu and Kiska
Sir, after reading your article about the battles of the Islands of Attu & Kiska, it reminded me of a three-volume book I read while visiting my daughter and her family in Bethel, Alaska. She gave her husband the books “The Forgotten War” as a Christmas gift. They talk about Japan invading the islands. Your members should read these books. My son-in-law has pictures of him standing by an old Japanese plane. 
Hannelore Wood, Widow of a retired Seabee 
Proud Vietnam Boots on the Ground Vet
This is the best-ever issue (June FRAtoday) filled with excellent stories of significant historical value. Keep up the good work. 
Bill Hammett, HMCS, USN (Ret.)
Forgotten Battles of Attu and Kiska
The article in the June 2020 issue of FRAtoday recalling the forgotten battles of Attu and Kiska was very well done and great reading.  The author makes a good observation that these are clearly forgotten battles of World War II, overshadowed by the more famous Battle of Midway. I wish to make one correction to a statement that the author makes in the beginning of the article, where he writes that Attu and Kiska “would be the only U.S. soil Japan would claim during the war in the Pacific.”
The phrase U.S. soil has no legal meaning, but U.S. Territory does.
During the war, Alaska was a U.S. Territory, organized and incorporated by U.S. Congressional Act in 1912 (it would become our 49th state in 1959).  As the article points out, the Japanese occupied the U.S. Territory of Alaska from June 1942 to August 1943. But there were also two other U.S. Territories in the Pacific that were also occupied by the Japanese in World War II:  Wake Island (December 1941-August 1945) and Guam (December 1941-July 1944).  These two Territories were not incorporated under U.S. Constitutional Law, which may lead to some confusion about what we consider “U.S. soil,” but nevertheless they were, and still are, U.S. Territories under U.S. sovereignty. American lives were lost in defending all three U.S. Territories.
William Jenkins, 
CAPT, USN (Ret.)
Disappointment in Essay Contest Advertisement 
As members of the Fleet Reserve and LA FRA, respectively, for 46 years, my husband and I read FRAtoday when it arrives each month. I was very disappointed to see the photograph in the ad for the Essay Contest on page 8 of the June 2020 issue. The American flag is not a blanket!  This is a very inappropriate use of our country’s emblem of freedom.
Michelle Wilkinson, wife of W.M. Wilkinson, Jr., USCG, BMC (Ret.)
FRAtoday: Dear Michelle, you are absolutely correct! This artwork was something we did not critically evaluate enough. As a result of your email and many more that followed, including some from active Regional Leadership, the art was replaced. After finding other artwork options and getting them reviewed by leadership, we have a new poster. I appreciate your prompt contact. It saved us from having to print the poster that branches will use twice. The Americanism Essay Contest is one of our most popular services we provide.

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. Submit letters to FRAtoday, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314 or to fratoday@fra.org.

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ON AND OFF CAPITOL HILL

NDAA Moves Forward
As FRAtoday goes to press the House and Senate have begun work on the National Defense Authorization Bill (NDAA-HR 6395-S. 4049). House and Senate subcommittees and the full House and Senate Armed Services Committees have approved their version of the NDAA and the bills are further consideration by their chamber of origin. Neither bills provide for any TRICARE fee increase beyond the annual COLA increase currently in law. Both bills do provide other important TRICARE provisions and other key provisions impact our members pocketbook. A side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate NDAAs is provided in this issue of On & Off the Hill. Members are urged to use the Action Center to weigh in on these and other key issues. 

FRA Honors Rep. Mark Takano
FRA National President Donna Jansky presented the FRA Pinnacle Award to Rep. Takano (Calif.), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) for his work in helping veterans. The award presentation took place on Capitol Hill. Due to the pandemic, the FRA did not have the Pinnacle reception nor did the National Board of Directors “Storm the Hill” this year. Rep. Takano successfully sponsored the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (H.R.299) that was enacted into law. He also created the Women Veterans Taskforce that focused on tackling the barriers that women veterans face while attempting to access their VA benefits and health care. He is currently in his fourth term in Congress and has served on HVAC for the past five years. As HVAC Chairman and Ranking Member (last session of Congress), Takano has worked tirelessly to help veterans. 

HASC-MP and SASC Approve Their Version of FY2021 NDAA 
As FRAtoday goes to press the House Armed Services, Military Personnel Subcommittee marked up and approved their portion of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA-H.R.6395). The bill will now move to the full House Armed Services Committee for further consideration. The subcommittee approved bill includes:
 • Delaying the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) scheduled reduction in military medical end strength for one year;
 • Postponing DHA’s plans to restructure its Military Treatment Facilities (MTF), which would result in many beneficiaries being sent into the community for care; 
 • Providing a three percent annual active duty pay increase that keeps pace with pay increases in the civilian sector;
 • Providing a Basic Need Allowance for those service members that qualify;
 • Enhancing child care and on-base education for children, including 24/7 childcare centers where needed, and that military families have access to these services. A study is required to evaluate the childcare stipend and whether it should have a cost of living adjustment;
 • Eliminate 180-day delay for retirees seeking certain DoD civilian jobs;
 • Giving priority for on-base housing for military families where a spouse has agreed to provide licensed in-home day care services for other children; 
 • Establishing a military-civilian task force on domestic violence that requires the Secretary of Defense to collect information on prevalence of domestic violence involving members of the Armed Forces, their intimate partners, and immediate family members; and
 • Requiring Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study DoD inability to evaluate housing quality. report due 12/1/20 on MHPI performance, and standardization of quality metrics. Subcommittee also wants to know about implementation of GAO recommendations.

•	Earlier the Senate Armed Services Committee marked up and approved its version of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA-S. 4049) behind closed doors and sent it to the Senate for consideration. the bill includes the following provisions important to FRA members:
•	Waives co-payments for prescriptions filled by mail order during the pandemic, eliminating the need to visit pharmacies;
•	Provides for an annual active duty pay increase of three percent to keep pace with civilian pay increases;
•	Makes it easier for military spouse to transfer professional licenses as they move with their service member across state lines;
•	Requires post-deployment health assessment to include questions about burn pit exposures;
•	Mandates retirement benefits for Reserve Component members deployed for COVID-19 missions; 
•	Authorizes the Inspector General to audit medical conditions of military families living in on-base housing; and
•	Requires the Department of Defense to provide active duty women with body armor created for the female body.

FRA members are urged to use the FRA Action Center to weigh in on amendments to the House and Senate NDAAs that include: Concurrent Receipt expansion, TRICARE pharmacy co-pay waiver during the pandemic, delay cuts to military medical staff, the Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act (H.R.463), and authorizing a study of Agent Orange exposure in Guam. 

Unfortunately, the bill do NOT include any concurrent receipt reform, or a study of possible Agent Orange exposure of service members on Guam. The FRA is working to file floor amendments for these and other issues of importance to FRA members. Members can refer to the side-by-side comparison of the two bills. 

After both chambers pass their version of the NDAA, a conference committee will be appointed to resolve the differences between the two bills. Once that occurs, both chambers will vote on the final bill, and if approved by both chambers the bill will go to the president to be signed into law or be vetoed.

President Brings Veteran’s Suicide to the Forefront
President Trump held a news conference at the White House to announce the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Task Force created by Executive Order 13861. After the press conference, FRA staff were invited to participate in the conference call with Barbara Van Dahlin, the executive director of PREVENTS, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie and other senior White House officials.

PREVENTS seeks to change the culture surrounding mental health and suicide prevention through enhanced community integration, prioritized research activities, and the implementation of strategies that emphasize improved overall health and well-being. The goal of PREVENTS is to prevent suicide — not just among veterans but all Americans. By adopting a holistic public health approach, PREVENTS is acting on the knowledge that suicide prevention is everyone’s business. By working together, both locally and nationally, they can prevent suicide. PREVENTS is building on the successes of suicide prevention pioneers and agencies that are working with service members and veterans. The PREVENTS task force is partnering with stakeholders from multiple sectors, including nonprofits, state and local organizations, Fortune 500 companies and government leaders, to implement best practices to improve [mental] health and prevent suicide.

Congressional Leaders Introduce Veterans Economic Recovery Act
Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Rep. Mike Levin (Calif.), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, along with Sen. Jerry Moran (Kans.), the Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, (SASC) and Senator Jon Tester (Mont.), the Ranking Member of SASC, introduced the Veterans Economic Recovery Act (H.R.7111/S.3899) that directs to Department of Veterans Affairs to provide a retraining assistance program for unemployed veterans.

In 2019, the veteran unemployment rate was 3.1 percent, the lowest in 19 years. However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, veteran unemployment rose to 11 percent in April 2020.
The unemployment rate for Post-9/11 veteran women reached 20 percent in April 2020, compared to 15.5% for non-veteran women. The program will rapidly retrain unemployed veterans so that they have the knowledge and skillset they need to quickly reenter the workforce and thrive in the post-pandemic economy. The centerpiece of this legislation would be the creation of a rapid retraining program to provide unemployed veterans and reservists with 12 months of educational benefits, to pursue training in high-demand occupations. The education benefits available under the rapid retraining program would be equivalent to the benefits provided under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. To be eligible to participate in the rapid retraining program, veterans must:
 ● Be between the ages of 25-60;
 ● Be unemployed on the day of application;
 ● Have an honorable or other than dishonorable discharge;
 ● Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit;
 ● Not be enrolled in another Federal of State job training program;
 ● Not be receiving disability compensation for reasons that have led to un-employability; and
 ● Not be in receipt of any unemployment benefit when they begin training under this program.

Members of the National Guard or Reserve who were called up on Federal orders to assist states with the COVID-19 response would also be eligible for the rapid retraining program as long as they meet other age, unemployment, discharge requirements. FRA members are urged to use the FRA Action Center (www.FRA.org) to ask their legislators to support this important legislation.

VA Denies Agent Orange Presumption for Service on Guam
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has denied a request for rulemaking to cover veterans exposed to herbicide on Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Island. The VA Under Secretary for Benefits Paul Lawrence claimed that herbicides sprayed on the central pacific islands were commercial rather than tactical herbicides. Presumptive service connection only applies to chemicals in “an herbicide used in support of the United States and allied military operations.”

As noted in the July issue of On & Off the Hill, the FRA and several other organizations have dispatched a letter to key lawmakers on the Senate and House Armed Services Committee urging them to add a provision to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize the National Academy of Medicine to perform an independent study to determine if Agent Orange was or was not used in Guam. FRA members can go to the Action Center online to ask their legislators to support this important provision.

Navy PCS Moves Begin Gradually
In March, the Navy stopped all Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving more than 42,000 personnel in limbo, unable to move to their next assignment. Now the Navy plans to gradually allow moves to bases in the U.S. and internationally. Priority will be given to those moving to ships and aircraft that are getting ready to deploy, as well as those assigned to what are deemed critical jobs. In addition, the Department of Defense has designated states or regions as “red” (no go) or “green” (good to go), depending on the rate of COVID-19 infections in the area.

Exclusive Contract for one Moving Company Delayed
Military.com is reporting that a contract for a single company to have exclusive rights to moving household goods in PCS moves has been delayed by U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), pending further review. The three-year $7.2 billion contract that was awarded to American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group, Inc. was first reported in the June 2020 issue of On & Off the Hill. That story noted the similarities to International Auto Logistics (IAL), who in 2014 was awarded the exclusive contract to personal vehicle (POV) shipments, which came under intense scrutiny after hundreds of service members complained that their POV’s went undelivered far past their expected arrival due dates, could not be located in IAL's shipment tracking system or arrived at their final destination damaged. Press accounts claim that approximately 70 percent of the vehicles IAL tasked with shipping over 2014’s peak moving system were considered late. 

TRANSCOM informed the Government Accountability Office of a request to take corrective action on the exclusive PCS contract. The GAO oversees government contract protests and disputes. The FRA will monitor this process on this contract to ensure that PCS moves go smoothly.

DoD IG Report on Military Voting Program
The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General recently issued an evaluation of the DoD voting assistance programs administered by each separate service. The Navy and Marine Corps programs were rated as “effective” and these programs complied with Federal statute and DoD policy. In 2018, 53 percent of the ballots sent to military and overseas voters were successfully counted — compared to only a third in 2006, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s examining post-election research from the 2018 General Election. 

Military members stationed away from their voting residence face more difficulties compared to local voters. The ability to receive and submit an absentee ballot on time remains a problem. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986 requires states to allow active-duty military members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens to vote absentee in federal elections. The FRA-supported Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE) amended and improved UOCAVA in 2009 by providing greater protections, such as requiring states to send absentee ballots to UOCAVA voters at least 45 days before federal elections and provide an electronic option for sending ballots to voters. 

For additional information, visit FVAP.gov, e-mail vote@fvap.gov or call 1-800-438-8683. 

HASC-MP Hearing on Racial Disparity in Military
In the wake of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Rayshard Brooks killing in Atlanta, Georgia, the House Armed Services, Military Personnel Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss racial disparity in the military. The hearing focused on a recent Government Accountability Office report (GAO-19-344) regarding racial disparity in the military justice system and the need for reform, based on the recommendation of the GAO report. Some of the recommendations include the collection of demographic information for all types of courts-martial, evaluations to identify the causes of disparities, and taking steps to appropriately address these disparities. Col. Don Christensen (Ret.) from Protect our Defenders also made recommendations for Congress to maintain an active account of the issue by requiring the DoD to send an annual report (as is now required for sexual harassment cases) and command requesting input from rank and file. 

African Americans make up 12 percent of the U.S. population and make up 16 percent of active duty military. Less than 9 percent of military officers are African American and only 7 percent are flag officers (Admiral or General). The Navy and Marine Corps have no African American admiral or general above the two-star level. The Army has one African American four-star general out of 14 four-star general positions. 

General Collin Powell once served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later served as Secretary of State, but no African American has ever served as chief of staff. However, the Senate recently approved (98-0) General Charles Brown, Jr. to serve as the Air Force Chief of Staff. He will be sworn into office in the near future. 

The Navy and the Marine Corps recently banned Confederate flags on ships, vehicles and elsewhere across the service. In addition, the Chairman of the Naval Academy Board C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger has requested that buildings on campus with Confederate names be changed. 

The Senate version of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act has been amended to require the Defense Department to rename military installations that were named after Confederate generals. 

DHA Allows TRS Beneficiaries Who Failed to Pay Premium to Be Reinstated
The Defense Health Agency has extended the period for the Reserve Component using TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) who lost coverage because of unpaid premiums to request reinstatement from three to five months. The extension is an acknowledgment of the financial turmoil the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some members of the Reserves. Once qualifying members pay all delinquent and current premiums, they can request reinstatement back to the date their coverage terminated. This policy is in effect for 90 days, following the end of the national health emergency. For more information members can go online.

VA National Cemeteries Re-Open
FRA Assistant Director, Legislative Programs, Theo Lawson participated in a conference call with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries Administration regarding the resumption of committal services on June 9th, 2020, in all but two VA national cemeteries. The cemeteries had been closed since March 23, 2020. The VA is following the White House Opening America Again guidelines as well as state and local guidelines. Some of the heavily hit areas such as Long Island and Calverton National Cemetery will be opening much later. The number of attendees allowed will vary based on the local guidelines.

The VA is seeking to enforce strict safety guidelines to avoid the spread of COVID-19. All funeral honors attendees including VA employees will be required to wear masks, the VA will provide disposable masks on premises.

There will be a shortage of funeral honors details from Guard and reserve component due to mobilization. The VA NCA is reaching out to VSOs to assist on completely voluntary basis. All VSO funeral honors providers will be required to certify their honors details as well training from the VA. The certification will be maintained at the local cemetery, so the VA hopes a local representative of the VSO is the one receiving the certification.

The VA made commitment to offer memorial services to those who had direct interment from March 23rd to June 8th. Starting July 20th, the VA NCA will provide memorial services for the families who could not get honors for their deceased. The VA will also be communicating with the families that have yet to reschedule memorial services. There is no time limit for the families to request memorial services.

VA Disability Claims Backlog Increases with Pandemic
The backlog of Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims increased by 64,000 since November 2019. The backlog has recently reached 119,000. The VA classifies a backlog claim as any disability claim to be those that take longer than 125 days to approve or deny. The VA stopped performing in-person compensation and pension exams April 2, 2020 to encourage veterans to stay home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Compensation and pension exams are appointments with doctors, during which disabilities are evaluated. The results of the exams help the VA rate veterans’ disabilities, which determines the compensation they receive each month, as well as their eligibility for VA programs.

Without the exams, the claims backlog has grown, and thousands of veterans are waiting for decisions. The coronavirus pandemic coincided with the start of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which prompted a surge of new claims by thousands of Vietnam War veterans newly eligible for VA benefits beginning in January. To help handle the months-long delay, the VA has asked Congress to approve legislation, not yet introduced, that would allow non-physicians, such as nurse practitioners, to conduct the exams.

The FRA views this growing backlog of disability claims as a threat to the Nation’s solemn commitment to properly care for disabled veterans. The cost of defending the Nation should include timely and adequate treatment of our wounded warriors.

VA HQ Damaged by Protesters
The Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters in Washington, D.C. was damaged Sunday night (May 31, 2020) from protesters involved with demonstrations related to the killing of Floyd George by a Minneapolis policeman. George was African American and happened to be face down in handcuffs at the time. Unidentified attackers broke several windows and spray-painted profanity along the sides of the VA’s main offices, which sit a block away from the White House. Also a car was set on fire near the main entrance to the building. According to several news sources, several buildings surrounding the VA were set on fire as protesters were forced from areas around the White House to streets north of Lafayette Park. 

The VA did not appear to be the target of any protests that focused on police brutality and racial inequality. In addition, VA officials said several department offices in other downtown buildings suffered some damage. In a statement, VA press secretary Christina Noel said leaders are still assessing the full cost of the damage. “We know of no injuries to VA employees,” she said. “VA will take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of VA employees.” 

Protests in Washington, D.C., centered around the White House but spread throughout the city. At the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, vandals wrote “Do black vets count?” along the main fountain at the center of the monument. National Parks Service officials reported additional graffiti at other well-known sites along the Capitol Mall.

VA Improves Veterans Legacy Memorial
The Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration has announced that it has improved capabilities on the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) website to allow family, friends, and visitors to leave “tributes” or comments on a veteran’s memorial page. The VLM website is the nation’s first digital platform dedicated entirely to the preservation of the memory of the 3.7 million veterans interred in VA national cemeteries. “Online memorialization becomes more prominent these days, allowing people to remotely honor the service and sacrifice of our Veterans,” said VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves. “The increased capabilities of VLM are in place at a critical time to ensure “No Veteran Ever Dies" by telling their stories to a larger audience through an enhanced digital platform. In addition, VLM allows people to express their appreciation and gratitude for the dedicated service of our Nation’s heroes.” The VLM is available online.

HVAC Asks VA for More Support of MST Survivors
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano (Calif.) and Ranking Member Dr. Phil Roe (Tenn.) sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie emphasizing the need for increased support for survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) — especially as the COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing may exacerbate stressors for these veterans. Following a joint hearing of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and the Women Veterans Task Force, which is examining how the VA supports survivors of military sexual trauma, Reps. called for an internal working group to perform a comprehensive review of the VA’s policies and procedures that affect MST survivors. Subcommittee on Health and Women Veterans Task Force Chair Julia Brownley (Calif.) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Ranking Member Jack Bergman (Mich.), and Chair Chris Pappas (N.H.) also joined the letter. A copy of the letter is available online. 
FEATURE  STORY

Freshwater Flattops: The Corn Belt Fleet
By W.D. Stevenson

Have you ever wondered how naval aviators learned to launch and capture planes from the decks of aircraft carriers during World War II? 

Following Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy had six carriers in combat, as well as 13 additional fleet carriers and scores of escort carriers on order or under construction. They needed thousands of pilots and tens of thousands of deck crewmen, all qualified for carrier operations. The basics of training were easy enough to acquire with land-based airfields, but to be prepared for the unique challenges of carrier operations, these sailors needed to train on real aircraft carriers. Since the Navy could not possibly pull back any forward carriers for practice, the solution was to acquire two already-built ships large enough to fit a flight deck atop them. The two paddle-wheel carriers that were soon to become the USS WOLVERINE and USS SABLE were this solution.

The USS WOLVERINE Refit
The Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Company built the Seeandbee in 1913. It was the world’s largest side-wheel passenger inland steamer at the time, with opulence and travel comfort like none other. The Navy acquired the ship from C&B on March 12, 1942, for the price of $756,500 and designated it an unclassified miscellaneous auxiliary vessel with the hull number IX-64. 

Seeandbee’s existing superstructure was removed in Cleveland, Ohio, and the ship was towed to Buffalo, New York, to undergo refitting by the Erie plant of the American Ship Building Co. In early May of 1942, a 550-foot-long wooden flight deck was installed, an island was built, arresting cables were installed and the ship’s funnels were rerouted to the starboard side, along with some other modifications. The refit was done while the ship was afloat because it was too large for dry dock. A crew of 1,250 men worked around the clock, providing 45 miles of welding and 57,000 bolts with washers and grommets during the refit. A Coast Guard substation was set up to provide security and no pedestrians or vehicles were allowed near the work site. 

The WOLVERINE (IX-64) was commissioned Aug. 12, 1942, as the first inland carrier of the Navy. It was assigned to the 9th Naval District, which was headquartered at the Lake Training Station in Lake Bluff, Illinois, now known as Naval Station Great Lakes.

The USS SABLE Refit
The Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company ordered the Greater Buffalo from the American Ship Building Co. of Lorain, Ohio, and the ship was launched in 1924. Larger than the Seeandbee, the new vessel could hold 125 cars and had 650 staterooms with a crew of 300. It was powered by nine coal-fired boilers, which drove two 35-foot side paddle wheels. People of modest wealth at the time could travel by water in luxury.

The Greater Buffalo, which was acquired by the Navy before WWII, was also converted at the Erie plant of the American Ship Building Co. and renamed USS SABLE (IX-81). The cabins and superstructure of the ship were removed, leaving the main deck. Although a wooden deck similar to the one installed on USS WOLVERINE had originally been planned, a steel flight deck with additional supports was installed instead. The steel deck allowed SABLE to be used for testing a variety of nonskid coatings applied in a checkerboard pattern to the flight deck.
The deck of the SABLE was equipped with eight sets of arresting cables, a bridge island on the starboard side and outriggers forward of the island for storing damaged aircraft.

On the main deck there was a lecture room with projection equipment that could accommodate more than 40 aviators, and bunks for 21. The newer carrier was also equipped with a sick bay, an operating room, a laundry, a tailor shop, crew quarters, a cafeteria-style galley for the crew, a mess hall for the officers, storerooms and a refrigerator. SABLE was commissioned on May 8, 1943.

Selecting Great Lakes
The Navy decided the Great Lakes region of North Central America would be an ideal training location for carrier pilots because it was somewhat secure from German and Japanese attacks and the water resembled the ocean. The training vessels could dock at the Navy Pier in Chicago, which was close to Naval Air Station Glenview. 
With the new “Corn Belt Fleet” in place, training could commence. The ships’ decks were only 550 feet long, much shorter than the Navy’s oceangoing carriers, and the theory was that if a pilot could manage on these smaller freshwater carriers, then he certainly could handle the larger decks at sea. The WOLVERINE launched its first aircraft in August 1942.  Both ships of the Corn Belt Fleet were decommissioned soon after the Japanese surrender on Sept. 2, 1945, and served until Nov. 11, 1945. 

A Typical Day in Training
Naval aviators who had earned their wings at Pensacola, Florida, or Corpus Christi, Texas, reported to NAS Glenview for orientation training before performing the required minimum of eight landings and takeoffs. Before any shipboard landings were attempted, practice landings took place on traditional runways that had been marked like carrier decks.

Training began at sunrise, with takeoffs and landings practiced throughout a 14-hour day. Training was conducted seven days a week and was only canceled because of fog, which made operations too risky. The program was so rigorous that 30 pilots could be qualified in a typical day. In a remarkable start to its training career, SABLE qualified 59 pilots within nine hours of its first day of service. On May 28, 1944, the SABLE broke its own record by qualifying 59 pilots with 498 landings in a little less than nine hours. WOLVERINE celebrated its 7,000th successful landing on May 7, 1943, and in two years, the SABLE made 50,000 landings. By comparison, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) recorded its 50,000th capture in 2012, 23 years after being commissioned.

One of the pilots who qualified Aug. 24, 1943, on SABLE was 20-year-old lieutenant junior grade and future president George H. W. Bush. He was a TBM Avenger pilot who volunteered for flight training on his 18th birthday. While on the light carrier USS SAN JACINTO, he completed 58 combat sorties, which awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross decoration and three air medals before V-J Day. 

Carrier training was not limited to just pilots. The SABLE and WOLVERINE trained thousands of deck crews and landing signal officers in how to move, launch and recover aircraft. Onboard experience was also given to carrier personnel before they were assigned to escort carriers. Every two weeks, a new class of 15 men reported to receive four weeks of training in flight deck procedures. Instructors and technicians came to receive practical shipboard training, along with thousands of aircrewmen. Without these sailors, the war in the Pacific would have been impossible.

Accidents Were Bound to Happen
On Oct. 21, 1942, Ensign F.M. Cooper was piloting his F4F-3 Wildcat when it spun into the water after takeoff from WOLVERINE. The plane sank into 85 feet of water with Cooper inside. His body and the plane were never recovered. This was the first of many accidents to occur on board these ships.
During training, some mishaps, crashes and losses were expected. During the years of the carriers’ operation, there were 128 aircraft losses and more than 200 accidents. Of the estimated aircraft lost during training, 35 have been salvaged and the search for more is underway. Because repair facilities were readily available, damaged aircraft were saved whenever possible. Occasionally, this meant retrieval from underwater.
The majority of aircraft losses resulted in minor injuries, but a total of eight pilots were killed. Thankfully, these tragedies were rare. From 1942 to 1945, more than 120,000 successful landings were logged, and 35,000 pilots were qualified. Overall, the training program was considered a huge success. 

Unique Ships with Unique Challenges
The WOLVERINE and SABLE were not true aircraft carriers like those the Navy had in the Pacific or Atlantic. They had certain limitations that at times prevented or delayed training. For example, since there were no elevators or hangar decks to store damaged aircraft, when all the storage spaces on the flight deck were filled with damaged aircraft, the day’s operations were over and the carriers headed back to their pier in Chicago.
Landing aircraft on calm days also presented problems for the carriers. Neither carrier could generate enough forward speed to meet the “wind over deck” landing minimums for aircraft such as F-6F Hellcats, F-4U Corsairs, TBM Avengers and SBD Dauntlesses. When there was little or no wind on Lake Michigan, operations were often halted. Occasionally, when low-wind conditions continued for several days and the pool of waiting aviators started to back up, the Navy used an alternate system of qualifications.

Aircraft Used
The Navy used various aircraft aboard the Corn Belt Fleet with the goal of training each pilot in the same type of plane he would later be flying with the fleet. When aircraft shortages occurred, training was delayed. Carrier fighter group pilots qualified in Grumman F-4F Wildcats, while scout and bomber pilots flew in the North American SNJ Texan. Ship’s logs indicated the planes that were used were: TBM/TBF Avengers, an F-4U Corsair, SBD Dauntlesses, F-6F Hellcats, SNJ Texans, SB-2U Vindicators, FM/F-4F Wildcats and three experimental drones known as TDNs. Most of the training aircraft were from the Pacific or North African campaigns. Very few planes were new.
The Navy’s TDN-1 was a television-guided, remote-controlled assault drone developed by the Navy in 1942. It was built to operate from a carrier under the control of a nearby TBM Avenger or from land with a PBY chase plane. The 37-foot-long twin-engine drone could carry a 2,000-pound bomb or an aerial torpedo. These launches from SABLE are considered the first U.S. drone launches from a carrier.

Legacy
Together, SABLE and WOLVERINE trained 17,820 pilots in 116,000 carrier landings. Of these, 51,000 landings were on SABLE alone. Both USS SABLE and USS WOLVERINE hold the distinction of being the only freshwater, coal-driven, side paddle-wheel aircraft carriers used by the United States Navy — the Corn Belt Fleet. The USS SABLE earned both the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal during its naval career.    

FEATURE

The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
The History of Marine Corps Aviation Comes Alive in San Diego, California.
By Ann Norvell Gray

In 1989, the first Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum was established at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Orange County, California. Ten years later, El Toro was closed, and the museum’s significant collection of aircraft flown by Marine pilots was facing dispersion or destruction. For many in the Marine Corps community, this outcome was unacceptable. 
Enter a dedicated group of retired Marine officers under the leadership of Maj. Gens. Frank Lang and Bob Butcher. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego was to be the museum’s new home. Brig. Gen. Jay Hubbard, then the volunteer chair of the El Toro Historical Society, called in a favor and asked Butcher to handle the transition. 
Now all the masterminds had to do was work out how to move 41 historic aircraft 75 miles down a busy California freeway. For six consecutive Sundays, precisely engineered convoys left El Toro at 3 o’clock in the morning and motored down Interstate 5 to Miramar. With tireless attention to every detail from the aviation support teams, only one transport vehicle broke down en route, and the first step was accomplished.
In June of this year, the Flying Leathernecks celebrated 20 years in the museum’s Miramar home. It is the world’s only institution dedicated to the story of U.S. Marine Corps aviation, and it houses, presents and cares for the largest, most complete collection of Marine-flown aircraft in the world. 

The Aircraft
Thirty-one of the 48 aircraft in the museum’s collection are arranged on the grounds, each with a sign detailing its history, uses, training requirements and specifications. On “Open Cockpit Days,” visitors may climb aboard and sit in the pilot’s seat. As you might expect, this is a popular experience, and a big hit with children. One visitor turned around slowly in the center of the yard and said, “It’s like a big perennial garden of airplanes!” Also on display are a number of pieces of support equipment and vehicles, including a refueling trailer, a portable generator, a loaded ordnance trailer and a Pratt & Whitney radial engine.
The collection includes five models of the Douglas Skyhawk and three Vought Crusaders spanning from the 1950s to the 1960s. There are two Hornets and two Phantoms from McDonnell Douglas; a General Motors FM-2 Wildcat; a Russian MiG from the Korean War; an Intruder, a Panther and a Cougar from Grumman; and several Bell and Sikorsky helicopters. 
There is also one Chance Vought Corsair from the 1940s in the exhibit. The museum’s website description of this night fighter says: 
“It was far superior to their [the Marine Corps’] other fighters, like the F4F Wildcat. The Marines operated them from improvised bases on Pacific islands with deadly results. Because the Corsair was faster and better armed than the nimbler Zero, it took air superiority back from the Japanese and helped turn the tide of the war. It also wreaked havoc on Japanese supply ships and ground forces.”
If you have watched “Flying Leathernecks,” Howard Hughes’ 1951 movie about Marine pilots fighting at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, you will have seen them flying Chance Vought F-4U Corsairs  in the later scenes of the film.
Visit the Aviation Gallery on the museum’s website to see interactive photographs of 28 of its aircraft. A click on each photograph will open a page describing that plane and its history in detail. Most of the aircraft are on loan from the National Museum of the Marine Corps just outside Quantico, Virginia, and about half a dozen are from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. 

Restoration of the SBD-1 Dauntless 
Bob Cramsie, the lead restoration volunteer at the museum, is a career aerospace maintenance and manufacturing technician. He is at work restoring the SBD-1 Dauntless, the last of these dive-bombers in existence. In 1942, a young Navy pilot practicing takeoffs and landings in this aircraft disappeared into Lake Michigan. Neither the plane nor the body could be found; the pilot was declared dead, and for 52 years, the Dauntless deteriorated at the bottom of the lake. 
The aircraft was recovered by a salvage company in 1994 and traded to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum by the USS Midway Museum in 2012. Cramsie was hooked. 
In a 2017 interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, he said, “I like challenges. It’s a giant jigsaw puzzle, but it’s a puzzle that will be solved.” 
On the hot afternoon of this interview, Cramsie was putting pieces of one wing together with rivets, doggedly easing and wrestling the bits into position, drilling holes, and fastening as he went. Setting the rivet gun down and mopping his brow, he said, “Now just do that a few thousand times and you’re done.” 
Cramsie is also a member of the museum’s Historical Foundation board. He does this hard work to give something back to Marine aviation, and this aircraft is particularly meaningful to him. His uncle, a WWII pilot, went down in the English Channel in 1944. Neither he nor his plane were ever found. With the resurrection of this rare old plane, the family of the young flyer lost in Lake Michigan can now put his memory to rest.

The Backbone of the Museum
Since 2019, the museum’s executive director has been retired Brig. Gen. Michael Aguilar.  Aguilar is himself a native of California and served in the Corps for 31 years until his retirement in 2002. When asked about the day-to-day workings of the museum,  Aguilar is quick to point out that, in addition to the participation of officers, the entire enterprise is wholly dependent on the dedicated service of both active and retired Marine noncoms and some civilians who volunteer thousands of hours of their dedication and experience. 
“The Marine Corps has the highest ratio of enlisted to officers of all the services,” he says. “These are the people who do the heavy lifting. We try always to emphasize the support functions that are so important to the Corps.” 
Many of these veterans spent their enlisted careers as specialists in aviation support, and their skills in such areas as aviation electronics, weapons support, aircraft and equipment mechanics, and general maintenance are the backbone that undergirds the entire enterprise. Cpl. Hayley Frederick is among the outstanding active duty volunteers. She is an airplane mechanic who has put in many hours of her own time, for which she has been recommended for a volunteer award. On recent weekends while COVID-19 has kept the museum shuttered, a volunteer group of 40 active duty NCOs at Miramar have come to the museum to wash all the aircraft and clean up the buildings and grounds in anticipation of reopening. One civilian met the Marine sergeant who is now his wife while both were giving time to the museum, which is a reminder that generosity and good humor can also lead to romance.
In their role as docents, NCOs and officers tell riveting stories of their histories in the Corps, and are instrumental in the partnership the museum maintains with local middle and high schools. Visitors comment again and again on their kindness, their knowledge, and the pleasure they take in opening the eyes of children to the meaning of being a U.S. Marine. 
“Retired Sgt. Maj. Mick Zacker is another volunteer who does a fine job,” says Aguilar. “He is a wonderful, inspirational lecturer, and regardless of the group or its size, he is always able to bring to life his experience as a Marine serving multiple tours in Vietnam.” 
Recognizing Our Four-Legged Marines
When the museum can reopen, one of its exhibits that will again be available is called “Military Working Dogs of the USMC.” It presents the stories of the dogs and handlers who work at the state-of-the-art Miramar kennel. The pups are currently being trained to supplement base security and to work presidential visits, conventions and the Miramar Air Show. Some are learning to find explosives, and some to sniff out drugs. 
“The work you put in with your dog, you can see it every time you are together,” Sgt. Charles Sicklesteel, a military working dog handler with the kennel, said in a 2014 interview for the Marine Corps’ website. “Without that trust, that bond between you and your dog, you don’t have a foundation to build on. You won’t have anything to build basic obedience, detection or aggression capabilities at all. The dog has to trust you, because you are telling him what you want him to do, and you have to trust him because your life, others’ lives, might be relying on his nose.”
There was a time when trainers and animals were separated when the dogs retired, but now their many handlers have the option to adopt each dog, and that close, trusting relationship can continue.
Like virtually every other museum in the country, The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is still waiting for the chance to reopen, preparing the protocols to keep everyone safe when they do, and keeping their online resources alive. They are surely eager to return to caring for their collections, continuing their contacts with students, and in every way possible, maintaining their pledge to keep the history and meaning of Marine aviation vibrantly alive. 

Return to Table of Contents

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

FRA Conventions Are Postponed until 2021

As you may have already heard, the ongoing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the FRA National Headquarters, along with many of the regional groups, to postpone various upcoming meetings through the rest of 2020. This includes the FRA National Convention, which was to take place in Portland, Oregon from September 27 to October 4, 2020.

We understand this news may not feel like glad tidings to many Shipmates. While the pandemic is ongoing, however, we cannot prioritize anything more highly than the safety of attendees and family members, particularly when so many may be in more vulnerable groups. Our number-one priority is to see everyone as soon as the postponed events are able to take place!

Like all challenges, this situation will ultimately be defined by how we react to it and turn it into an opportunity to exhibit the FRA’s innovation and determination. We cannot bemoan what was lost at the expense of what otherwise might come to be; our present and future Shipmates depend on everyone supporting the overall mission. 

In the July 2020 issue of FRAtoday, I wrote about how branches and regional groups have adopted virtual meeting technologies and gave some examples of successes that have arisen from those efforts. With the time Shipmates would have spent traveling to and attending these in-person meetings, perhaps regional groups and branches can instead map out a collaborative approach to review association business and continue efforts to engage with each branch member individually?

National HQ will still be coordinating with branch secretaries to pursue critical activities that would have been resolved in Portland. We will arrange mechanisms to raise issues, host elections and count votes. We will ensure our agenda is subjected to the same type of discourse and improvement as it might have been in person, even if we cannot sit down together to do it. All it takes is a bit of initiative and willingness to adapt to a new set of constraints. None of those are insurmountable.

Several months ago, I wrote about the unique qualities of Shipmates, and how the word so defines the whole experience of the sea services and the FRA. So many of you have endured great hardships in support of your mission, your flag, and your own Shipmates, and come out stronger and wiser because of those memories. It is worth remembering that the challenges impacting our ability to host in-person meetings are nothing like so dire as critical points in battle, or when confronted with the failure of critical systems at sea. 

We know how much the in-person time spent with friends old and new helps define the overall quality of the conventions. We also know that we must all exercise a kind of restraint from pursuing those personal interests, out of respect for everyone’s health and long-term welfare. Thank you all for your support and understanding as we navigate these treacherous waters together! 
Yours in Loyalty, Protection and Service,
Christina Hitchcock

Christina is the FRA’s director of membership. She can be reached at ChristinaH@fra.org or 703-683-1400, ext. 123.

Shipmate News

1. Branch 101, Santa Clara, Calif.
Shipmate Michael Glantz was in Sacramento at a rally Saturday, May 23. Several hundred people gathered at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The event included recognition of veterans from all branches.

2. Branch 251, Mountain Home, Ark.
Shipmate Homer (Don) Owens received his 35-year continuous membership pin and appreciation certificate from Branch President David Butts during the branch meeting at American Legion Post 52.

3. Branch 294, Crossville, Tenn.
Americanism Essay Contest Scholarship Committee Chair and Branch President Bill Rhoads (L) and Peter Dellarco (R) presented a Certificate of Achievement and $1,000 check to Holley Kay Shaw, Cumberland County High School senior. Shaw also won first place in the branch’s senior grouping and second place in the Southeast Region.  

4. Branch 23, Buffalo, N.Y.
RPEC S.D. Martin provided one of his own flags to ETC Bruce Blair and family. This was a combined effort by NOSA Rochester, branches 23 and 166. (L to R, standing) SKC (Ret.) Dave Reininger, ITC Joe Williford, ETC Lee Begy, BMCS Chris Flores, GMC (Ret.) Jeff Hydock, CDR Susan Burge, QMC (Ret.) Mike Sullivan. 

5. Branch 89, Atlanta, GA.
This was taken at during a branch meeting before social distancing due to COVID-19 was in place. Regrettably, approximately one-third of these Shipmates are now serving on the Staff of the Supreme Commander.

6. Branch 15, Walhalla, S.C.
The branch participated in a flag-raising ceremony on Memorial Day in Six Mile, South Carolina. Shipmates presented a new U.S. and South Carolina state flag to the mayor. A wreath was placed in front of the Medal of Honor monument.

7. Branch 70, Poway, Calif.
Chairman of the Americanism Essay Contest Chuck Cross (center) stands with 10th grade branch winner Allison Williams (R) and Brooke Williams (L), who won first place for 10th grade and overall at the branch and Southwest Region levels, and placed second for 10th grade at the national level.

8. Branch 70, Poway, Calif.
(L to R) Gabrielle Miranda is the branch seventh grade winner, and Zachary Miranda is the branch ninth grade first place winner, as well as Southwest Region ninth grade first place winner and national ninth grade third place winner.

9. Branch 161, Kansas City, mo.
The village for homeless veterans in Kansas City is almost completed. It has a Community and Resource Center where veterans will receive medical checkups, counseling, job placement, free bus passes and more. The ground surrounding the pond is where a small park and walking trail will be located. There are also units for veterans with families.

10. Branch 126, Jacksonville, Fla.
The officer installation was recently held. During the ceremony, 6-foot social distancing was observed. (L to R, front row) Al Peter, Secretary Martha Klinikowski, President J. J. Thomas, Vice President Jack Elrod and Treasurer Johnnie Odom. (L to R, back row) Ed Gribbin, Terence Johnson, Bill Walsh, Tony Placzkowski, Donald Rodely and Elmer Wine. 

11. Unit 137, Minden, Nev.
All required precautions were taken during the Sierra-Tahoe officer installation on June 6. (L to R) RPWC Brenda Horton, Chaplain Judy Dunn, PRPWC Kathy Goheen (BOD), President Cherlita Dagang, Treasurer Sue Higgins, Past President Joyce Jackson, Secretary Maggie Smith, Peggy Hannah (BOD), and Vice President Jan Solberg.

12. Branch 31, Peabody, Mass.
National President Donna Jansky joined other veterans in her hometown of Peabody, Massachusetts, for a flag retirement ceremony on Flag Day. The Peabody Veterans Council and Fire Department sponsored the long-standing tradition to properly dispose of used, worn and unserviceable U.S. flags.

TAPS
Name	Rating	Branch
Ash, Duane	AMHC, USN	276

Barnes, Daniel J.	DPC, USN	24
Barnett, Harry B.	ADJC, USN	MAL
Batson, James	ATCS, USN	MAL
Bernardo, Felix M.	SN, USN	214
Botkin, Willard	OSCS, USN	MAL
Bottleman, Robert	AVCM, USN	MAL
Bourgeois, George H.	CPO, USN	MAL
Bradish, Joseph	RMC, USN	MAL
Brenenstuhl, David A.	USN	24
Brothers, Bernard J.	BTCM, USN	99
Broussard, Arthur J.	PS2, USCGR	371
Brower, James L.	NCCS, USN	117
Brown, Dewey E.	CPO, USN	334
Bruner, Lawrence L.	GMCS, USN	MAL
Buckley, Billy B.	ATC, USN	92
Busby, Gary W.	ADC, USCG	94

Canby, Edmund B.	GMCS, USN	274
Cartwright, Robert L.	RM1, USN	60
Caunt, Frank G.	CTM1, USN	MAL
Cernoch, Erwin J.	1STSGT, USMC	MAL
Chase, Paul S.	USN	226
Coleman, Donald A.	GYSGT, USMC	17
Combs, David L.	LT, USN	161
Cox, Donald J.	YNC, USN	223
Cutsforth, Richard W.	AT1, USN	MAL

Dauphin, Richard J.	OSCS, USN	156
Dempsey, Bill L.	SKCS, USCG	269
Doran, Charles	AMS1, USN	MAL
Drainer, John R.	ACC, USN	161
Dubois, Robert J.	MGYSGT, USMC	MAL
Dunlop, Ronald E.	CTTCS(SW), USN	MAL

Eanes, Garnett M.	MMCS, USN	41
Edmonds, Hulen	BM1, USN	17
Ennis, Earl E.	CEC, USN	MAL

Fao, Tony A.	YNC, USN	MAL
Fayson, Dallas C.	MS1, USN	302
Fennern, Harold C.	AFCM, USN	MAL
PRPWC Ford, Thomas H.	ATC USN	261
Frey, William	BMCS, USN	MAL
Fulghum, Charles M.	UTCM, USN	281

Gingras, Edward T.	TM1, USN	166
Grubb, Foster G.	CS1, USN	47

Havener, Melvin C.	CM1, USN	292
Hayes, Frank M.	SK1, USN	13
Hayes, William G.	TMC(SS), USN	269
Hilger, Martin J.	YNC, USN	298
Holland, Russell E.	SN, USN	230
Holmes, George	ABH1, USN	MAL
Howell, Milford K.	HMC, USN	40
Huntoon, Clyde W.	ADR1, USN	298

Jenner, William	AD1(AW)	181
Johnson, Willie E.	AEC, USN	MAL
Juhasz, Stephen G.	OSCS, USN	17
Julius, James M.	PHCS, USN	289

Kneeland, John R.	ATCS, USN	MAL

Leonhardt, Danny L.	TMCM(SS), USN	269
Light, Paul D.	CTR1, USN	MAL
Long, Raymond N.	ADRC, USN	MAL
Lyle, Kenneth	AOC, USN	99
Lyons, John	QM(SS), USN	170

Manuele, Michael A.	BMC, USN	91
Mayer, John R.	MRCS, USN	MAL
McAvoy, Arthur R.	LCDR (LDO), USN	11
McClain, William L.	AMSC, USN	MAL
Miller, Thomas M.	AMCS, USN	248
Mindermann, Dennis M.	GYSGT, USMC	01
Mongiat, Samuel	ADCS, USN	136
Murphy, Buddy C.	AG2, USN	276

O’Sullivan, John	CPO, USN	MAL
Odom, James R.	MCPO, USN	22
Ogg, Harry P.	BM1, USN	94

Paine, Walter F.	ATC, USN	166
Parrett, Charles L.	HMCM, USN	102
Patlan, Rodolfo	MCPO, USN	MAL
Pitman, Edgar	CMDCM (SS), USN	MAL
Pomeroy, Donald	SN, USN	245
Pugh, Billy L.	CSC, USN	41

Ralstin, Chester E.	EN1, USN	68
Reaves, Ivan T.	AVCM, USN	261
Riggins, Ronald J.	MKCS, USCG	MAL
Rogers, William H.	HT1, USN	15
Rone, Jack	HMC, USN	328
Rossi, Louis E.	CMC, USN	226
Ruzicka, Aloysius W.	ADC, USN	136

Sauer, John E.	HMC(SS), USN	MAL
Savoia, Benjamin J.	PNC, USN	31
Schaffer, Paul L.	SPCM, USN	MAL
Shaffer, Jay R.	AW1, USN	MAL
Simmons, William	YN2/LCDR, USN	59
Smith, Dale D.	ACCM, USN	MAL
Smith, James W.	MRCS, USN	24
Smith, Jon A.	ETCS, USN	MAL
Sonnentag, Albon R.	AFCM, USN	238
Spears, Harry	RMC, USN	MAL
Stewart, Ernie J.	ATCS, USN	260

Troxell, Robert M.	MMC, USN	115

Van Arsdale, Clyde A.	EMCS, USN	MAL

Weaver, Terry L.	YNC, USN	106
Wilkerson, Jerry O.	GMMC, USN	MAL
Williams, Ronald M.	PO1, USN	MAL
Wilson, James A.	ENCM, USN	53
Wiseman, Herbert E.	AFCM, USN	22

Yearwood, David L.	EMC, USN	295

To report the death of a Shipmate, please contact us via email at mserfra@fra.org or by telephone at 703-683-1400 ext 1. 

Return to Table of Contents

REUNIONS/lOOKINGFOR…

Reunions

USS TOWERS (DDG-9)
9/29/2020 - 10/4/2020
Louisville, Ky.
Contact: Raymond Wong
Telephone: 415-601-6285
Email: usstowersddg9@pacbell.net
Website: http://www.usstowersddg9.com

USS SEA CAT (SS-399)
10/7/2020 - 10/11/2020
Summerville, S.C.
Contact: Edwin Hymer
Telephone: 515-981-3006
Email: ednmeg@mchsi.com

USS REEVES (DLG-24/CG-24)
10/8/2020 - 10/12/2020
San Diego, Calif.
Contact: Thomas Bailey
Telephone: 719-647-2872
Email: tombailey@ussreeves.net
 
National Association of Naval Photography
10/15/2020 - 10/17/2020
Pensacola, Fla.
Contact: Sammy Solt
Telephone: 757-714-9344
Email: nanppres@gmail.com
 
USS DOGFISH (SS-350)
10/21/2020 - 10/24/2020
North Little Rock, Ark.
Contact: John Cronenberg
Email: DogfishReunion2020@gmail.com
 
USS BREWTON  (FF-1086)
10/22/2020 - 10/25/2020
Las Vegas, Nev.
Contact: Jesse Mackey
Telephone: 352-382-7706
Email: jessmackey73@gmail.com

USS McMORRIS (DE-1036)
10/22/2020 - 10/25/2020
San Antonio, Texas
Contact: Jules Galbreth
Telephone: 972-219-9674
Email: julorgal@gmail.com

USS BRISTOL (DD-857)
10/26/2020 - 10/30/2020
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Contact: Paul Ratcliffe
Telephone: 973-309-4040
Email: pd_ratcliffe@msn.com
Website: www.hisurfsidebeach.com

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (SSBN-602)
10/29/2020 - 11/1/2020
Charlotte, N.C.
Contact: Greg Crystal
Telephone: 704-608-9136
Email: gcrystalSSBN602@gmail.com

A list of reunions is at: www.fra.org/Reunions. LookingFor/Reunions must be submitted online, via email to reunions@fra.org, or in writing to FRA LookingFor/Reunions at 
125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314. 

Include your member ID and a daytime telephone number. For help, contact FRA Member Services at 800-FRA-1924.
AUXILIARY OF THE FRA

Become a Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service Representative

My name is Gail Bolz, and I am the LA FRA National Representative for the VA Voluntary Service. We need more representatives and deputies to serve within the National Assignment Committee; currently the LA FRA is an honorary member.

You can become a representative or a deputy for your unit by finding a VAVS facility that is close enough for you to travel to and attend the quarterly meetings. Once you find a facility, contact me and we can get you signed up; it is THAT easy!

The number of facilities that currently have LA FRA members serving as representatives or deputies are:
Arizona — 1; California — 5; Idaho — 1; Massachusetts — 1; Minnesota — 1; Missouri — 1; Nevada — 1; and Texas — 1.

This is a total of 12 facilities that we support, which is how we gained Honorary Member status. Our goal is to attain Service Member status, so help us reach the total of 25 facilities!

You can also sign up to just volunteer at your VAVS facility, although it’s not mandatory. The satisfaction you receive in volunteering is so rewarding. Connecting and building relationships with our veterans is so special.  They risked their lives for us; so now it is time for us to give back to them. Please join me in supporting the Ladies Auxiliary in this great endeavor.

I would like to thank West Coast Regional President, Brenda Horton for all her hard work helping several unit members become representatives and deputies. We would appreciate any assistance the regional presidents can offer. You can contact me by email at 60grandma@live.com or by cellphone at 843-696-5789.  FRA

In Loyalty, Protection and Service,
Gail Bolz

Gail is the LA FRA national representative for the VA Voluntary Service and the LA FRA past regional president Southeast.
FINANCE MATTERS

Build Your Portfolio on a Solid Foundation

Asset allocation is to investment planning what the foundation is to a house or the chassis is to a car. It’s what everything else is built upon. And just as important as constructing a house on a firm foundation, having the right asset allocation can be vital to helping you work toward your financial goals.
Although the name may sound intimidating, asset allocation is just a technical term for a rather simple concept. Asset allocation is merely how your portfolio is divided up among different types of investments, such as stocks, bonds, and what are called “cash alternatives.” 

How Asset Allocation Works
Using asset allocation to build a portfolio designed to help you reach your long-term goals requires taking three primary factors into consideration:
Goals. These are simply what you’re investing to achieve. For many of us, a major goal is to enjoy a financially secure retirement. If you have younger children or grandchildren, helping them afford higher education without building a mountain of debt is likely another goal. Or maybe you’d also like to make a luxury purchase — such as buying a vacation home or dream car or taking an exotic vacation — down the road.
Time horizon. One reason why knowing your goals is important is because it helps determine your time horizon (how long you have until you need to tap into your investments). If you’re 28, for example, and want to retire at 68, your time horizon is 40 years. It’s as simple as that.
Risk tolerance. Your risk tolerance is the amount of volatility in your portfolio’s value you’re comfortable with. If you find you can’t sleep because you’re worried about your investments — especially when there’s market volatility — you probably need to adjust your asset allocation to suit your risk tolerance.     

Putting the Pieces Together
With those factors in hand, you can begin to piece your asset allocation together. The primary building blocks, at least to begin with, are likely to include:
Stocks. Historically, stocks have offered attractive returns, but along with those returns, there’s also been periods of volatility. If you’re young, you should have a long time horizon — especially when it comes to retirement. That may allow you to have a larger allocation in stocks because you have longer to ride out any short-term market volatility that occurs.
Bonds. One reason investors like bonds in a portfolio is because their prices have historically been relatively stable. By owning bonds, an investor’s aim may be to help manage his or her portfolio’s overall value when there’s volatility in the stock market. The larger the proportion of bonds, the more steady the portfolio’s overall value should remain. Keep in mind, however, that bonds’ returns have been significantly less than stocks.
Cash alternatives. These are relatively lower-risk, lower-return investments. On the upside, they can be easily converted into cash when it’s needed. On the downside, their returns may not even keep up with inflation.
Of course, there are many other investments to consider, such as real estate investment trusts, or REITs, and commodities. Just remember that you should intend for each type of investment you choose to play a particular role in your overall allocation, such as providing the potential for growth, income or stability.Alternative investments, such as those mentioned above, also have their own unique risks that you should fully understand before investing.
Once you’ve decided on the types of investments to include, you need to determine how much of each is appropriate. If you’re looking to grow your investments’ value, you’ll likely have a larger stock allocation and a smaller one for bonds. The result would be a portfolio with more potential volatility than one with a larger proportion of bonds. You should ask yourself if that’s a trade-off you’re comfortable with.
 
Get Help If You Need It
Although asset allocation is a relatively simple concept, you can see it has lots of “moving parts.” That is one reason why many investors opt to work with a professional financial advisor. If you decide to seek help, look for an advisor who will first get to know you and then help create an investment plan that’s built around (what else?) an appropriate asset allocation.     

Asset allocation cannot eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns.
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, VA at 800-247-8602.
Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE
Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
© 2017-2019 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.