FRAtoday July 2022
comMunicaTIons
FROM THE FANTAIL	3
SHIPMATE FORUM	4
On & Off captol hill	7
FEATURE  STORies	
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS18
SHIPMATE NEWS20
TAPS21
AUXILIARY OF THE FRA22
FINANCE MATTERS23

COMMUNICATIONS

Korean War Armistice Day 

The Korean War began June 25, 1950, when the North Korean army invaded South Korea. On July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, ending the war on what is now officially recognized as National Korean War Armistice Day. In the border village of Panmunjom at 10 a.m. on that July day, 18 copies of the trilingual Korean Armistice Agreement were signed. The signing was the culmination of the longest armistice negotiation process in U.S. history, involving 158 meetings over the course of more than two years. 
Each year, the president of the United States issues a proclamation announcing that July 27 will be a national day of observance in honor of Korean War veterans and their families. Every year, Americans and South Koreans recognize those who fought and lost loved ones in the Korean War with events that range from informal observances to formal ceremonies at military bases and cemeteries.
This year, the observation of National Korean War Armistice Day on Wednesday, July 27, will be particularly special as the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., dedicates its newest addition: the Wall of Remembrance.
The National Park Service and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation have been working since March 2021 to add the Wall of Remembrance as well as rehabilitate the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The Wall of Remembrance is a sloped, granite wall that encircles the Pool of Remembrance already present at the memorial. The wall bears the names of 36,574 American servicemen and more than 7,200 members of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army who made the ultimate sacrifice defending the people of South Korea. The circular plaza around the Pool of Remembrance has been extended to accommodate the wall, and two new pedestrian paths provide access to the memorial from Ash Road and Independence Avenue.  
The Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Dedication Ceremony will take place at the memorial from 9-11 a.m. on July 27. The event will be livestreamed beginning at 8 a.m. on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kwvmfusa/) and YouTube channel.
If you ever get a chance to visit the memorial, I would say it would be well worth your efforts. 
 
In Loyalty, Protection and Service, 
William D. Stevenson, Editor-in-Chief       

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FROM THE fantail

Remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery

As I was driving to Arlington National Cemetery to attend the 2022 Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony, I was not sure what to expect. This was my first visit to Arlington for this ceremony.
I met Shipmate Theo Lawson, the assistant director of legislative programs at the Fleet Reserve Association, at the cemetery. As the buses with the visitors made their way through the roadway, I saw the rows and rows of headstones come into view. What a breathtaking sight. 
As we arrived at the Memorial Amphitheater located near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, there was a gentle peace. This was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that so many people were gathered for the Memorial Day event at Arlington. I think everyone was excited for President Joe Biden to arrive, place the president’s wreath at the tomb and address those in attendance. 
While everyone waited for the president to arrive, they chatted and shared thoughts about the day’s events. I had the opportunity to talk with a group from Indianapolis, Indiana, on their eighth grade class trip. It was heartwarming to see so many young folks at this event.
After the president gave his Memorial Day speech and departed, we proceeded with the wreath laying ceremony. Theo and I placed the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on behalf of the Fleet Reserve Association.
Once I arrived back at my car and prepared to travel back home, I thought about the day’s event and about how fortunate and honored I was to be able to attend such a humbling event. 
I would like to share just one more thing: if you ever happen to be in the Northern Virginia area, take time to visit Arlington National Cemetery. It is worth the effort.   FRA
In Loyalty, Protection and Service, 
Jim Campbell 

Jim is the national president of the FRA and may be reached at FRANP@FRA.org.

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sHIPMATE FORUM

Admiral Zumwalt Story
Dear Shipmate Gray,
I do not own a computer so I must write my notes by hand.
Thank you for the profile on Adm. Elmo Zumwalt. It brought back a lot of fond memories. I served aboard the USS DEWEY (DLG-14), which at the time was homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. I served from 1970 to 1974.
At the time “Zummy” as he was known as, was serving as CNO and making very positive and morale boosting changes. We also learned that the DEWEY was Zumwalt’s first commanding officer [assignment]. He made Lt. by then.
During a deployment to WesPac in mid-1970 the DEWEY made a port visit to Subic Bay, Philippines, the city of Olongapo City. We were in port for a 10-day visit and replenishment.
While there, Admiral Zumwalt was touring WesPac and the 7th Fleet visiting ships and speaking to the ships’ crews. He learned the DEWEY was in port and made a special stop to visit his former command. He came aboard and was met and welcomed by our current captain. Zumwalt took a few minutes to speak to our crew, and we gave him a long ovation. In leaving the ship he took time to shake hands with each sailor on the fantail, thanking us for our service to our country. I don’t remember who relieved him as CNO, but we were proud to serve under his leadership. I bid “Fair Winds and Following Seas to Admiral Zumwalt for smooth sailin.” And the same to you Ann for the great story.
Respectfully,
GMM1 James Foster, USN (Ret.)

FRAtoday March 2022 (Letter to the Editor) 
In the March 2022 issue your response to Shipmate RMCS Hopton is disturbing to me.  You stated, “FRA Today as well as many other military magazines follow the AP official style guide.”  
All along I have believed we are the Fleet Reserve Association, made up of Sea Services Personnel, active, reserve, veterans, and retired, not such as the “Association of the United States Army” or “The American Legion”.  It would show pride and patriotism if we were to stand on our own two feet, even though it may be a slippery deck, and continue to show that we are the FRA.
There is no doubt in my mind that your comment(s) and proper addresses of Rank/Rate have been one of several reasons for the decline in our membership.
I would suggest you could find our Rank/Rate abbreviations for our Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard in the Bureau of Navy Personnel guidelines on proper addresses of Rate/Rank. (See attached) You’ll notice that ALL abbreviations are upper case. ie: SMCS not Smcs as the American Legion has done.  
Be proud and stand up for our sailors and marines, active, reserve, veterans, and retired.  This is OUR MAGAZINE.  What sets us apart is that we are an ASSOCIATION, not an ORGANIZATION.  An ASSOCIATION has a bond, and the SEA SERVICES ARE THAT BOND. 
BTW, I made a vow and statement that I would not intervene in the affairs of the association and headquarters when I left as National Executive Secretary.  This got my attention.  
I hope you see your mistake and show that you can correct it. Maybe then we might see a turn in the membership of the FRA, for a more positive gain not a continued loss.
In LPS,
Chuck Calkins, PNES FRA

The Honor Flight Story
FRAtoday, ATT:  Elise Howard
As a Retired Navy CPO, and active Member of FRA (MAL), I am elated over the recognition of Honor Flight in the May 2022 Issue of FRA Today! Fantastic!  I was on a Flight two years ago, and have never experienced the honors as rendered by innumerable citizens to Veterans of past Wars. My thanks to all who have supported this unprecedented Mission. I am also a journalist (20 years multiple press), and have penned (was published) a column on Honor Flight. Will forward one to you. But for now, am asking a favor. I work with Honor Flight (Middle GA) — (President: CMSGT Roger Jennings, USAF Ret.), and would so appreciate (10) copies of the May Issue — to share! Perhaps they can be mailed to my home address below. 
Many Thanks — Yours in LPS!
AMSC Daniel W. Gatlyn, USN (Ret.)  
(Vet of Korean & Vietnam Wars)

Honoring a New Castle Treasure
Dear Ms. Howard,
I just received my May Edition of FRAtoday, and as always am happy to have something interesting and productive to read. So keep up the good work, your publication is the only one I can count on to get clean honest information, and I do enjoy it greatly. It’s been a reminder of my Naval career and of the many shipmates I served with over the years. I know there’s a few still around that wonder if I’m still hanging on. So I’m enclosing a photo and write-up of my 100th Birthday Celebration just past, and hope to be around a few more years since I'm still in pretty good health.
Keep up the good work, and hope this little donation can be of some help.
Respectfully,
QMC Edw. J. Buckalew, USN (Ret.)

Accompanying New Castle newspaper excerpt:
Chief Quartermaster Edward J. Buckalew served over 28 ½ years in the Navy he loved so dearly. Three years in the Pacific, on the Light Cruiser Mobile (CL-63). Participating in 44 engagements, of which 13 were major engagements. He escaped death twice — the first time when he was transferred from a 40mm gun mount to the Pilot house. Three weeks later that gun mount was hit and blown up. The man that took his place did not survive. The next time he was nearly blown overboard by the concussion of a main Battery misfiring.
His last assignment was when the Mobile entered Nagasaki, Japan, as the first occupation force following the Nuclear Bombing of that City, a scene that will live in his memory forever. He served two years off the coast of Korea, and was on the Battleship New Jersey during Vietnam for a short time. His last ship was the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) PreCom., Detail. Made the first Mediterranean Cruise on her, and in 1970, retired with honors as the ships Assistant Navigator.     FRA

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

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ON AND OFF CAPITOL HILL

Celebrating the Fourth of July 
As you get this issue of FRAtoday, the nation will be preparing to celebrate Independence Day. This Memorial Day, as we did last year, the FRA did lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. With pandemic protocols still in place, the FRA had limited access to Capitol Hill and the Pentagon. Despite the challenges, the FRA continues to work to represent our members’ concerns. Hopefully, our country will be able to celebrate its independence this Fourth of July in a more robust manner, with the height of the pandemic in the nation’s rearview mirror. 

Put Concurrent Receipt Reform in NDAA Before Markup Ends 
The markup of the annual National Defense Authorization Act in the House and Senate has begun. The FRA is working to add a provision to these must-pass bills to expand concurrent receipt. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (Fla.) and Sen. Jon Tester (Mont.) are sponsoring the FRA-supported Major Richard Star Act (H.R.1282, S.344), which would expand concurrent receipt to include Combat-Related Special Compensation beneficiaries who are medically retired with a disability rating less than 100% after less than 20 years of service. Your FRA Action Center messages are having an impact. As FRAtoday goes to press, the Major Richard Star Act (H.R.1282) has 239 co-sponsors, and the Senate companion bill (S.344) has 58 co-sponsors. 

Tester has also recently introduced another piece of FRA-supported legislation, the Retired Pay Restoration Act (S.1147), which would extend concurrent receipt to include Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay for retirees with 20 or more years of service who are rated less than 50% disabled. Currently, only retirees with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or more are eligible to simultaneously receive their full disability compensation and retired pay.  This bill is similar to legislation (H.R.303) introduced by Bilirakis with the same title. Earlier, Rep. Sanford Bishop (Ga.) introduced the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act (H.R.333), which is a comprehensive piece of concurrent receipt legislation that would also give concurrent receipt to CRDP retirees whose disability ratings are below 50%, as well as Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service.

Members are strongly urged to use the FRA Action Center (www.fra.org) to ask their legislators to include concurrent receipt reform in the FY2023 defense authorization bills. 

SVAC Announces Bipartisan Agreement on VA Toxic Exposure Bill
S enate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (Kan.) recently announced a new, bipartisan agreement on comprehensive toxic-exposure legislation. Tester and Moran have worked for over a year to negotiate between lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, HVAC Ranking Member Mike Bost, the Biden administration, the FRA and other veterans service organizations.

Military service for our nation can require service members to go places that may expose them to toxins that cause illnesses that may not be diagnosed for years or even decades after their service. That is why the FRA is a member of the Toxic Exposures in the American Military (TEAM) Coalition to ensure that no veteran who suffered exposure to burn pits or other environmental toxins goes without access to VA health care benefits. 

As FRAtoday goes to press, the text of the bill has not yet been finalized. However, an SVAC press release noted that the new legislation, called the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act will include provisions to:
 
•	Expand VA health care eligibility to post-9/11 combat veterans, which would include more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans.
•	Create a framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure.
•	Add 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions, including hypertension, to the VA’s list of illnesses presumed to be service-connected. 
•	Expand presumptions related to Agent Orange exposure, including the addition of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll as locations for Agent Orange exposure.
•	Strengthen federal research on toxic exposure, including studies on veterans’ cancer rates, mortality and health trends.
•	Improve resources and training on toxic exposure for the VA’s health care providers and benefits personnel.
•	Invest in the VA’s workforce, claims processing system and health care facilities.  

Once the bill is finalized, it will be put on the Senate floor for a vote. If it passes the Senate, the legislation will also have to be passed by the House before being signed into law by the president. This issue is listed on the FRA Action Center on the website at www.fra.org. 

Ask Congress to Get Its Work Done on Time
Although the FY2022 budget started on Oct. 1, 2021, the current fiscal year appropriations package was not signed into law until March 15, 2022.  This nearly six-month delay resulted in flatline funding for many current government programs. Too frequently Congress fails to pass spending bills on time. The federal government has partially closed 21 times since 1976 because one or more appropriations bills were not signed into law on time. In 2018-19, the shutdown lasted 35 days.

When spending bills do not pass, Congress has to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open. CRs are a less-than-ideal way to fund the federal government because they generally continue funding at prior-year levels, with no regard to the value of the individual programs. They continue to fund those programs that have outlived their usefulness or badly need reform, and they fail to expand successful programs that need a boost. In other words, Congress fails to make any of the important budgeting decisions that are its job.  

Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center on the website (www.fra.org) to ask their legislators to pass the FY2023 budget (appropriations and defense authorization) before Oct. 1 — on time.  

Navy Desertions Increased in 2021
National Public Radio and NBC News have reported an increase in desertions from the Navy in 2021. Last year, 157 sailors left their posts without the intention to return, although eventually all but eight of them did.
This figure is the highest in a three-year upward trend in desertions. A Navy spokesperson, Lt. Cmdr. Devin Arneson, told NPR that in 2020, 98 sailors had fled from their duty stations, up from 63 in 2019. From 2017 to 2019, the number of deserters still at large had been on the decline.

The NPR and NBC reports both noted that other branches of the military didn’t see a similar increase in the past three years, raising concerns about mental health, living conditions and morale in the Navy. The Army saw desertions drop by 47%, from 328 in 2019 to 174 in 2021, and the Marine Corps also reported desertions were down from 59 in 2019 to 31 in 2021. The Coast Guard reported having no deserters at all from 2017 to 2021.
The FRA has dispatched a letter to the chairpersons and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittees to ask for an oversight hearing on Navy morale issues.   
 
Cause of Gulf War Illness Discovered
After the Gulf War, nearly one-third of all who deployed reported unexplained chronic symptoms such as rashes, fatigue, gastrointestinal and digestive issues, “brain fog,” neuropathy, and muscle and joint pain. Federal agencies generally rejected the idea that troops may have been suffering from exposure to chemical agents, with many veterans who experienced symptoms being sent to mental health providers.
A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives used genetic research and survey data to determine that service members exposed to sarin were more likely to develop Gulf War Illness. Of service members exposed, those who had a weaker variant of a gene that helps digest pesticides were 9 times more likely to have symptoms.

The FRA has urged key members of the House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees on Defense to continue to provide funding for the treatment-focused Gulf War Illness Research Program, part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs within the Department of Defense. The FRA also co-hosted the 2021 Capitol Hill Forum on Gulf War Illness organized by the Veterans for Common Sense and the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine.   
 
Memorial Day Observances
National President James W. Campbell represented the association the Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, May 30. He was joined by other national leaders in honoring the men and women who have died in service to our nation by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. National Vice President James Robbins Jr. and National Executive Director Chris Slawinski participated in a ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial on Memorial Day, and other FRA leaders participated in Memorial Day ceremonies and events across the country to pay tribute to America’s fallen heroes.

The House passed 19 veterans bills before Memorial Day. The bills would improve the claims process for survivors of military sexual trauma, make the Veterans Affairs’ Patient Advocacy Program more accessible, streamline the transfer of GI Bill benefits to veterans’ dependents, improve support for female veterans, and kick-start the modernization of the Veterans Benefits Administration’s information technology systems to get veterans their benefits faster.

Female Admiral Becomes Coast Guard Commandant
The Senate unanimously approved Adm. Linda Fagan as the next commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. At a change of command ceremony at Coast Guard Headquarters June 1, she became the first woman to lead a military service. 

“The trailblazing career of Adm. Fagan shows young people entering the services we mean what we say: There are no doors — no doors — closed to women,” President Joe Biden told the crowd at the change of command ceremony. “Now we need to keep working to make sure Adm. Fagan may be the first but not the only.” 

Fagan has served in the Coast Guard for 36 years. Before becoming commandant, she had served as vice commandant since June of 2021. Previously, she was commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area, overseeing operations from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the east coast of Africa. Fagan is also the Coast Guard’s first Gold Ancient Trident, the longest-serving active-duty in the marine safety field. She graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine science. She also earned a Master of Science in marine affairs from the University of Washington in 2000 and a master’s degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 2008.

DOD Halts Incineration of PFAS Chemicals
In compliance with FRA-supported provisions in the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L.117-81) the Department of Defense has temporarily halted its incineration of firefighting foam and other materials containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, pledging it will soon issue disposal guidance. The Pentagon said it is banning the incineration of aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, a specialized type of firefighting foam that contains PFAS and is used for fires on jet fuel and other liquids. 

Congress set the moratorium after the DOD failed to issue disposal guidance that complied with the criteria lawmakers had specified in the fiscal 2020 NDAA (P.L.116-92). The criteria Congress had specified included that “all incineration is conducted at a temperature range adequate to break down PFAS chemicals while also ensuring the maximum degree of reduction in emission of PFAS, including elimination of such emissions where achievable.” PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because some of them do not break down through natural forces of sun, weather or microbes. When incinerated, some of the PFAS are emitted into the air. 

New Post-9/11 GI Bill Enrollment Verification Requirement
Veterans receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill housing payments are now required to verify their enrollment in educational courses or training to the VA by the end of each month. Students may opt in to text message verification to more easily ensure seamless receipt of their Monthly Housing Allowance payments.    If student veterans fail to verify their enrollment or report that they are no longer enrolled in their courses or training, their MHA payments will be withheld 

C urrently, this new enrollment verification requirement does not apply to GI Bill students in apprenticeship, flight, on-the-job or correspondence training. It also does not impact those receiving benefits through other educational programs, such as the Montgomery GI Bill, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA), Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC), or the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP).  For more information, go to the VA website at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/isaksonroe/verification_of_enrollment.asp. 

Bill Introduced to Prevent Diversion of VA Resources to Immigration Issues 
Sen. John Boozman (Ark.) has introduced legislation (S.4082) to block the Department of Veterans Affairs from diverting veteran resources to manage the increase in immigration expected at the southern border as pandemic-related immigration restrictions lift. At the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee’s hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s FY2023 budget request, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed that DHS personnel have discussed diverting VA manpower and funding to address immigration issues. 
Before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee a week later, VA staff members testified that the VA is currently understaffed by 2,800 positions. At the hearing, SVAC Chairman Jon Tester (Mont.) asked Gina Grosso — assistant secretary for human resources and administration/operations, security and preparedness — about any past or planned discussions the VA has had about sending VA employees to the border. She stated that although the VA had assisted in administering COVID-19 vaccines to federal employees working at the border in customs and enforcement roles, “we have not been in any direct discussions with DHS on sending our employees to the border” in response to upcoming repeals of pandemic-related restrictions.   Members are encouraged to weigh in on this issue by going to the FRA Action Center on the website at www.fra.org.  

HVAC Subcommittees Discuss VA “Claim Sharks”
Two House Veterans’ Affairs Committee subcommittees held a joint hearing focusing on the quality of representation in the VA disability claims process. The hearing highlighted the importance of VA-accredited veteran service officers, claim representatives, attorneys and agents who must adhere to professional and ethical standards. Unaccredited claim consultants, or “claim sharks,” avoid VA oversight, charge unreasonable fees and offer inferior service. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, this problem of predatory claims practices has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The FRA’s veteran service officers oversee the association’s veteran service officer program and represent veterans throughout the claims process as well as before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. The association is congressionally chartered, recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs and entrusted to serve all veterans who seek its help. The FRA also provides training for members to become VA-accredited veteran service officers who can help veterans navigate their VA benefits and their claims and appeals processes at no cost. Veterans can reach out to their local FRA branch to inquire about the veteran service officer program or contact FRA National Headquarters to seek assistance at: theoL@fra.org. 

Senate Probe Finds Problems with Military Housing Contractor
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations recently held a hearing on the mistreatment of military families in privatized housing on U.S. military installations. The subcommittee focused on privatized housing managed by Balfour Beatty Communities LLC at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Gordon, Georgia. This company is one of the largest providers of privatized military housing, and the investigation found it is still failing to correct mold and other structural problems — threatening the health and safety of service members and their families. 
The company pleaded guilty in December 2021 to committing fraud against the U.S. government from 2013 to 2019. Balfour Beatty was ordered to pay $65.4 million in fines and restitution and was placed under an independent compliance monitor for three years. Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Jon Ossoff (Ga.) and Ranking Member Ron Johnson (Wis.) are conducting a bipartisan investigation into military privatized housing, which has been plagued by problems for many years. 

The FRA welcomes this investigation and wants to ensure service members and their families have safe, quality homes and communities. The association wants to increase the accountability of privatized housing companies by putting more oversight authority in the hands of local military leaders. 
  
FEATURE  STORY

The Blackall Racing Team 
In It for the Mission

By Jessica Brodkin Webb

Janet Blackall’s eyes light up when she describes the camaraderie inside the paddock where motorcycles wait to race. She is president of Blackall Racing, a veteran-owned business that subtly weaves emotional support in with winning motorcycle races across the nation.

“Racing is my husband’s passion,” she said. 

Her husband Tony Blackall raced as an amateur from 2010 through 2013 before going professional. After a few years on the pro circuit, he joined the Navy.

“He had a special warfare contract with the Navy but was unexpectedly medically separated,” Janet recalled. “When he came home, he was drinking and in a really dark place. I realized we had to do something.”
That something turned out to be a motorcycle. 

The Starting Line
Tony had put racing behind him before meeting Janet. In fact, although he purchased a new motorcycle after his Navy service, he didn’t ride it at all to begin with.

“He’d shine it in the garage like a Harley guy, didn’t take it on the road at all,” Janet said, chuckling at the memory. 

Other riders encouraged him to test it out on the track and he began riding again. As he progressed out on the track, Janet noticed he became “a better husband” at home, and it wasn’t long before he set a goal to get his professional racing license reinstated. Their company still didn’t exist at this point, but the wheels were in motion.

Janet, a Marine Corps veteran with her own post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms to contend with, happened to be at a professional crossroads in 2019 when she and her husband traveled to Road America, a 640-acre motorsports facility with a winding course that twists and turns for over 4 fast miles. After that first experience, she cashed out her retirement and the couple founded Blackall Racing.

“Now when we go to a professional event, it’s like a four-day process. We stay track-side, basically set up a mobile showroom, eat in our paddock with the vets on our team, [and] we all sleep in the rig — the camaraderie is awesome,” Janet said, beaming.

On Mission, Track-side
A race weekend can effectively happen with just a couple of crew members, up to eight at a larger event, budget permitting. Interested veterans are encouraged to participate in a way that plays to their personal skill sets and interests while simultaneously benefiting Blackall Racing. The familiarity of being on mission and having a team-oriented goal — wanting to win that race — is what works so well for veterans, Janet said. 

“I can honestly say now, motorcycles saved my life,” Tony Blackall told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in May.
“There’s a mental escape from being tied to a mission-driven goal,” Janet said. “It moves fast: if you don’t get the tires changed before the right session, for example, you’re not going to be able to go out. There’s personal accountability involved. That accountability and sense of timing feed into a military mindset,” creating a safe and familiar place for veterans.

Janet described the couple’s leadership in the paddock as having a sense of mentorship, of walking a path together.
“When I ask someone to do something, it's nothing I wouldn’t do myself. I work beside people, talk very plainly, and if someone doesn’t understand, then I expect them to ask questions,” she said.

Come evening, the team sits and chats together at races around a large table. The conversation leans toward racing as team members sit around over tacos or another easy meal debriefing the day. However, they also inevitably land on “the things you can’t talk about with civilians,” Janet said. She described it as “super therapeutic” for veterans to share a meal and freely share whatever is on their minds.

“I got out in 2005 and didn’t get anything about mental health care,” she said. “The VA and DOD are working hard at improving transitional programs, but unless you know someone or are aware of what’s out there, it can be an obstacle.”

Gearing Up: How It All Comes Together
All the volunteers have added a piece to the team’s puzzle. One who works as a schoolteacher saw how the team was manually recording data and suggested an easier spreadsheet format … then went home, created the sheet and sent it to the Blackalls to implement.

“We put veterans to work and let them decide how much initiative they want to take and how much responsibility they want,” Janet said. “We’ve shown some people who enjoy being behind the lens where they can stand to capture good photos. We’ve had people who worked as note keepers and tracked race data. There’s a job for any type of person, but you have to ask them what they want to do, let them take the lead. We’ve learned to trust, as well.”

Marriage isn’t always easy track-side. The Blackalls have had to learn their roles and respect what they each bring to the company. Before each event, Janet said, she worries about details, but once on-site, she goes into manager mode and everything flows freely. Focusing on merchandise and talking with people works well; when she delves too far into asking Tony about the bike, roles get strained.

“I’ve learned the hard way we need to stay in our lanes,” she said. “We had one three-week journey where we started in Washington state, stopped in Michigan and grabbed bodywork, went to New Jersey, then Alabama. Sometime between New Jersey and Alabama, I got out at a truck stop and said I was going to stay there. That was the end of the first season we did together.”

Since then, the couple has learned to compartmentalize and approach a situation like co-workers when they’re dealing with a race. Establishing those lines was “a hard learn,” Janet said, but past challenges make their present success all the more rewarding. 

“You don’t get the sunshine without rain,” Janet said.

The Long Race
Just down the road, the Blackalls are looking forward to adding a Junior Cup rider to the team, something they wanted to do during the full season but weren’t able to solidify. The goal is to filter in newer riders and “put more people near the bike” so Tony can eventually progress to a crew chief position.

The team also successfully landed their nonprofit status earlier this year. They plan to grow out the company, and hope to eventually purchase some property large enough to build several tiny homes for struggling veterans.
In addition, the Blackall track-side setup has ongoing care package construction, which volunteers and anyone walking by can contribute to by assembling items. Janet says she borrowed the idea from the first big business convention she attended. Business owners from all walks of life were talking and socializing side by side, and she recognized that this interaction could easily be duplicated track-side as a way to build relationships while doing good. Trinkets and gedunk, such as chewing gum, Skittles and jerky — fun items to receive on a long deployment — are all packed up to be shipped overseas.

The care packages assembled at racing events are also a way for the Blackalls to drop a breadcrumb that active-duty personnel can pick up when they transition out of the service. Each person who chooses to join the Blackall team is another veteran the duo can support.

“With every package, we include information on ‘When you get out, reach out to us,’” Janet said. “Hopefully they’ll get in touch, say ‘Hey, I heard about this thing when I was on active duty,’ and get involved before they become a statistic.”

When children come into the paddock, they sometimes ask if they can have some of the items, but Janet explains they’re being sent to people who protect them, who are overseas and far from home. She tells the children two other things: dream big and be thankful there are others who guard us.
“You know, freedom’s not free,” Janet said.   FRA        

FEATURE STORY

The International Ice Patrol
100 Years of Coast Guard Protection off the Grand Banks

By Ann Norvell Gray

One hundred-ten years ago last April, the largest and newest ocean liner operated by the British White Star Line set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton in England, bound for New York. Its first-class passengers included British aristocrats, industrial magnates, high-ranking politicians and prominent members of the American social elite, along with their personal staffs, their children, their governesses, and in some cases, their pets. Some have speculated that it was the overweening pride of naming a ship Titanic that doomed it to disaster. Others swore that, because it was never actually christened, bad luck was bound to bring it down. But the unalterable fact is that, 20 minutes before midnight on its fourth night at sea, the magnificent ship struck an iceberg, and with terrifying speed, sank in a freezing cataclysm of destruction and loss of life.

Ending the Tragedies
The Titanic was not the first ship lost to the hulking underwater chunks of calving glaciers near the Grand Banks southeast of Newfoundland — not by a long shot. But despite the well-known dangers of those waterways, the frequent destruction of less glamorous ships with fewer casualties had failed to awaken a response. The Scottish brig Lady of the Lake had sunk in 1833, taking 215 people down with it. The William Brown, an American ship pierced by an iceberg in 1841, was most remembered for the shocking jettisoning of 14 passengers from an overcrowded lifeboat. The French brig Valiant took 78 passengers with it as it sank in 1897 after colliding with an iceberg, leaving only four survivors.   In addition, uncounted fishing and whaling boats had been crippled by or lost to the ice. Nothing had been established to protect the sailors and passengers of humbler vessels such as these. But Titanic was so big, so heavily promoted, so luxurious, and so full of the rich and powerful from both sides of the Atlantic that its disastrous loss prompted an outcry demanding that something be done.  
In November of 1913, the first International Conference on the Safety of Life at Sea convened in London. It was the beginning of years of conversations among representatives of the world’s military and merchant maritime powers. The U.S. Navy had deployed two cruisers in 1912 to patrol the Grand Banks temporarily, and in 1913 that responsibility was passed along to the Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard. Because of this experience gained, management of the operations to monitor and communicate information about the safety of those treacherous stretches of the North Atlantic was assigned to the United States with funding from the 13 most affected nations. Thus, the International Ice Patrol, or IIP, was born. By 1929, 18 nations had signed on to the agreement. 
The Coast Guard has managed the job ever since, with increasing sophistication in detection, measurement and communication. A 2012 Coast Guard brochure published for the IIP says this about their success: “The mission of the International Ice Patrol is to monitor iceberg danger near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and provide the iceberg limit to the maritime community. … Except for the years of the two World Wars, the Ice Patrol has been active each ice season since 1913. During this period, the Ice Patrol has amassed an enviable safety record ‐ no vessel heeding the published iceberg limit has collided with an iceberg.”  
These icebergs, offspring of the vast Greenland ice sheet, break free in huge numbers every year. Of the estimated 40,000 that “calve” into the ocean, only 1-2% of them survive the drift south as far as St. John’s, Newfoundland’s easternmost point.  According to the Canadian government, the 1,800-nautical mile journey along the currents of the Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea takes icebergs an average of two to three years. The Ice Patrol keeps track of where those impossibly massive hunks of snow-packed ice are, how big they are, and where the currents are most likely to take them. As of 2011, the International Ice Patrol contributing nations other than the U.S. include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Tracking With Limited Technology
A 21-minute black-and-white film purposefully titled “International Ice Patrol” is a charming and interesting introduction to the midcentury techniques and technologies that served the IIP in the years just after the Second World War.1 Produced in 1949 for the U.S. State Department by the United States Information Service with the cooperation of the Coast Guard, it opens in dramatic style. Its narration is easily recognized as typical of the newsreels that those of us old enough to remember saw regularly before the feature films in our neighborhood theaters. We hear a foghorn and a whistle, and as the fog clears, we see the observers on a ship’s deck. 
“Our ship was carrying out the routine duties of the International Ice Patrol,” says the narrator. “Locating and reporting icebergs is our main job.” Through the fog, we see a rough, almost mountainlike iceberg on the starboard side.  “One like this,” he says, “if you don’t see it in time, can do plenty of damage.”2 
At the time of the 1949 film, this patrol was carried out by Coast Guard cutters and by planes (weather permitting) using the tools and techniques available at the time. The addition of aerial surveillance had become possible after WWII. Once a significant berg was spotted, its location and an estimation of its size was recorded and then transmitted by radio to any ships approaching the spot. It was observed until it was no longer large enough to pose a significant hazard. The currents were sometimes recorded from the ships by tossing messages in bottles into the sea, which sounds surprising to modern ears. Weather reporting was assisted by recorders about twice the size of a shoebox sent aloft on lines from helium balloons. 
A room-sized chart covered one wall in the Operations Room of the 1949 patrol’s Newfoundland base, with markers for ships, planes and icebergs that were moved as their positions shifted.  
“It’s kind of a quiet place,” says the narrator, “but a lot goes on there.” 
The propeller planes monitoring the icebergs farther north could cover 25,000 square miles in a day, and calculated the probable paths of the ones that were likely to migrate into the shipping lanes. The IIP was also dispatched to the aid of mariners in trouble in those hazardous waters. 

Modernizing the Patrol
With few exceptions, the IIP’s job of patrolling ice conditions is now conducted from the air. The International Ice Patrol’s first aerial reconnaissance was conducted in February of 1946 from a PBY-5A Catalina seaplane, itself a veteran of WWII. Today, the headquarters of the International Ice Patrol shares a facility with the Coast Guard Research and Development Center in New London, Connecticut, where the communications capabilities of satellites and the internet have changed the game forever. The International Ice Patrol also collaborates with U.S. and Canadian federal agencies as part of the North American Ice Service. However, the 11 aircrewmen and four ice observers of the Ice Reconnaissance Detachment are still flying out of Newfoundland.
A Coast Guard bulletin posted in May of this year describes the modern operation this way: 
“The periodic searching of nearly 500,000 square miles of ocean is just one part of a much larger monitoring apparatus requiring an in-depth understanding of the dynamic weather and ocean currents on the Grand Banks; monitoring and predicting the movements of thousands of icebergs; continuous operation of a sophisticated computer model known as the Berg Analysis and Prediction System (BAPS); transmission of warnings and ice charts to ships at sea in a host of different formats; and nearly daily cooperation with over 30 organizations and agencies in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
“… As technology continues to advance, the program is being modernized. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is partnering with Service and the IIP to augment the U.S. Coast Guard’s ability to protect infrastructure and improve maritime safety and navigation in the Arctic region by fusing satellite-based radar imagery and commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery with ship reporting systems to enable analysts to identify significant ice throughout the North Atlantic Ocean in real-time.”2 

Facing the Elements
There is an enormously effective short video made by Joshua Holko, a photographer whose lifework is taking pictures of icebergs in all their variety, that can be seen online at this link: https://youtu.be/i1Uq_Kpd9s8. If you have never been in close proximity to these natural phenomena, it is hard to imagine how immense and how beautiful they are. Seeing them as the background to a small vessel with perhaps 40 people aboard delivers an immediate appreciation for their scale. Imagine driving a small bus down a city street past a whole city block occupied by a 15-story apartment building made entirely of glistening ice. 
And there’s another short midcentury film that mostly describes the ice-breaking function of the Coast Guard rather than the IIP, but nevertheless has an irresistible description of glaciers and icebergs in the frigid sea. The camera pans across the monochromatic world, vaguely spooky music plays, and the narrator intones: “Ice: … Nature’s ermine mantle that cloaks an entire continent. [Icebergs:] Blue-white mountains of it, nomads of the polar seas. Ice: Nature’s gauntlet of challenge to man’s progress.”  The U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol took up that challenge more than 100 years ago, and has met it without fail.     

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig3N_K32gd4
2. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/31722ad?reqfrom=share

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MEMBERHSIP MATTERS

Opportunities to Get Involved: Branch, Regional and National

The Fleet Reserve Association represents and serves all current and prior enlisted U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard service members and their families. Here are just a few of the benefits our members enjoy.

Advocacy
The FRA’s highly respected legislative team ensures that your voice is heard and understood on Capitol Hill. We fight for the pay and benefits of active duty, reserve, veteran and retired members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Check out www.fra.org/ActionCenter to review the current issues and lend your voice to our shared mission. The FRA also has veteran service officers who assist veterans with filing their claims and appeals to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Branch Affiliation
Almost every state in the U.S. has at least one FRA branch, and several branches are located overseas. The FRA branches foster camaraderie among fellow sea service members and strive to keep Shipmates informed about changes in local policy as well as to support local veteran and youth activities.

FRA Publications
The FRA produces a monthly magazine, FRAtoday; a weekly email newsletter, NewsBytes; call-to-action emails, Making Waves; and quarterly e-newsletters for active-duty members, OnWatch.

Education Scholarships
The FRA Education Foundation provides more than $90,000 in scholarship funds each year to sea service personnel, FRA members and their dependents. The funds are applicable toward tuition at trade schools, community colleges and four-year universities. 

Disaster Relief
The FRA facilitates relief to fellow Shipmates during times of need. Shipmates who have suffered losses due to natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, have received more than $100,000 in aid.
FRA Life and Health Insurance Programs

As an FRA member, you are eligible for excellent coverage at affordable group rates by participating in the FRA-endorsed insurance programs. You can request information by calling 800-424-1120, or by following the links on the Membership Benefits page online at www.fra.org/benefits.
 
Savings Marketplace
The FRA has partnered with Working Advantage (formerly Sparkfly) to offer unique discounts on things like travel, restaurants, electronics, movie and event tickets, shopping, and more! Discounts are accessible through your myFRA membership profile on www.fra.org or by calling Working Advantage Customer Care at 1-800-683-2886 and providing your FRA member ID number.  

VA Volunteer Service
FRA members volunteer thousands of hours at Veterans Affairs hospitals through the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement, bringing assistance and companionship to veterans and service members who are in VA medical centers. For more information, call 800-FRA-1924.

USAA Visa Rewards Program
Members can apply for the only credit card that supports the FRA. With a low APR, no annual fees and some great rewards programs, you will see why a credit card from a bank built on military values is better. Apply today at www.usaa.com/fra or call 877-372-8722.

USAA Financial Services
The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) provides competitive products, award-winning service and the convenience of banking and investments to active-duty military, veterans and their families. The FRA endorses USAA and its preferred financial services. Best of all, joining USAA is free and you can pass the benefits along to your children. Find out more information at www.usaa.com/fra or call 877-372-8722.
Take advantage of some of these benefits and your membership will pay for itself! 

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

Shipmate News

1. Branch 302, carson, Calif.
Branch President Ed Labao (gold cover) presented first place Americanism Essay Contest awards to 10th grader Ariana Perez on April 10. She won at both the branch and Southwest regional levels.

2. Branch 146, Johnsville, Pa.
Branch Americanism Essay Contest awards were presented to winners from Saint Isidore School in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. (L to R) Rev. Ken Brabazon; Principal Dr. Robin Convoy; Brynn Gillin, seventh grade 2nd place winner; Joseph Maigur, seventh grade first place winner; Joe Millman; Dick Murphy; Tom Concannon; Amy McHale, eighth grade second place winner; Annie Malack, eighth grade first place winner; teacher Mary Finnegan; and Pennsylvania State Rep. Craig Staats.

3. Branch 201, Austin, Texas
NJROTC Cadet Jose Rivera (R) from John Marshall High School in San Antonio, Texas, was presented with his Americanism Essay Contest Award by RPSC C. Ursula Gruetzner (L) on April 12.

4. Branch 55, Portland, Ore.
City of Roses Branch President Roger Harr (L) presented a certificate to 12th grader Jacob Agesta (R), who won first place at the Northwest regional level of the Americanism Essay Contest, on April 8. Agesta is planning on pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering after high school.

5. Branch 299, Wilmington, N.C. Yeoman Master Chief Rainey Scrocco (center) is a new Master Chief in the Coast Guard and is responsible for bringing back the charter to Wilmington, North Carolina. U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Commander Capt. Matt Baer (L) is swearing in Scrocco. Senior Reserve Officer for USCG Sector North Carolina Cmdr. Mike Toth (R) attended.

6. Branch 261, Lemoore CAlif. 
Gordon Depuy was presented with his 50-Year Continuous Membership Certificate and Pin. (L to R) Don Corder, John Heger, Ray Fratus, Branch President Doug McCann, Gordon Depuy, Bob Craig, Dennis Desjarlais and Rob Waleki.

7. Branch 208, Jacksonville, N.C.
Camp Lejeune Branch 208 presented Americanism Essay Contest awards on April 12. (L to R) Graham Luby, Paul Levesque, Vincent Gonzalez, John Caskey, Ben Sheegog, Branch President Raymond Applewhite, Alicia Moulton, Jerry Gray Jr., Sofia Lovewell, Reuben Alexander, Hiyori Wong Varga, Zander Riley, Michelle McNicholl, Logan Smith, Cecilia Nunemacher, Paul Miethker and Alexander J. Nevgloski Sr.

8. Branch 162, New Orleans, La.
Branch Vice President Kevin Doucette (L) presented Shipmate Frank Seymour (R) with his 30-Year Continuous Membership Pin and Certificate during the March branch meeting.

9. Branch 302, Carson, Calif.
Branch President Ed Labao presented an Americanism Essay Contest Award April 19 to Maya Galeon, who is the eighth grade first place winner at the branch level and the third place winner at the Southwest regional level.

10. Branch 242, Davenport, Iowa
Michel Meng is shown holding his regional trophy and check. Meng won the Americanism Essay Contest for ninth grade at the branch level as well as third place at the regional level.

11. Branch 182, Bethesda, Md.
Americanism Essay Contest branch winners Eniola Sanni (10th grade), Diya Jha (11th grade) and Madison Johnson (12th grade) display their certificates. Sanni also placed second at the East Coast regional level. (L to R) Branch Americanism and Patriotism Chairman PNC Paul Gunther, Eniola Sanni, Diya Jha, Madison Johnson, and Branch President Keith Kaider.

12. Branch 382, Nampa, Idaho
The Boise VA Medical Center’s veterans food bank contacted Branch and Unit 382 for assistance in restocking their shelves. With the assistance of Walmart’s Ten Mile Road store in Meridian, Idaho, they were able to help. PRPNW Bill Hall and Unit President Rose Hall (blue coat) stand between the Walmart managers.

TAPS

Name	Rating	Branch
Aiton, Bruce A.	HMC, USN	136
Anderson, Michael J.	AS1, USN	290

Baker, James A.	CMC, USN	MAL
Beck, Clem M.	ATN1, USN	182
Bellflower, Robert J.	CDR, USN	182
Birch, David A.	PO3, USN	60
Boswell, William E.	SKCM, USN	MAL

Cerney, Robert L.	FTM2, USN	263 
Cons, Henry G.	MS1, USN	MAL
Cook, John F.	CAPT, USN	24
Craddock, Gerald B.	ATC, USN	MAL
Crawford, Leonard S.	BMC, USN	MAL

Dewater, James E.	JOCS, USN	MAL
Dewey, Duane E.	CPL, USMC	298
Dominguez, Pat B.	USN	08

Edgerton, Charles W.	EOD, USN	166

Ferrell, Eldon E.	MRC, USN	MAL
Forkan, Joseph T.	SF1, USN	MAL

Gallegos, Jose M.	BTCM, USN	162
Ganitch, Michael M.	QMCS, USN	MAL
Grahn, Gary R.	CWO, USN	293

Hall, Clarence C.	CAPT, USN	104
Harper, William F.	RM1, USN	60
Henry, Randall G.	MUC, USN	MAL
Hewgley, Jimmie D.	ADJC, USN	94
Hill, John	SGT, USMC	24
Hoffman, Robert E.	HM1, USN	MAL
Hurley, Charles G.	AFCM, USN         MAL

Jackson, Carl H.	CWO4, USN	22

Kemmerer, John R.	CPO, USN	24
Linehan, John	PN2, USN	24

Machado, Frank H.	SKCS, USN	197
Maldanado, Conrad T.	MM1, USN	70
Mann, Darrell L.	ENCS, USN	MAL
Markee, Charles J.	CTOCS, USN	242
Michaelson, John D.	CWO2, USN	145
Miller, C.B.	PO2, USN	MAL
Misertino, John J.	SSGT, USMC	MAL
Moran, James J.	QMCS(SS), USN	316
Mower, Ferrell R.	MMC, USN	MAL

Nash, Randall F.	CPL, USMC	24

Onken, Charles R.	LCDR, USN	261

Payne, Darrell D.	GMCS, USN	MAL
Plattner, Raymond L.	AGCM, USN	104
Prevatte, Jack L.	HMC, USN	208

Richter, Rick	AE1, USN	210
Rider, Charles W.	HTC, USNR	269
Roe, David	USN	382
Rosson, Ronnie E.	ATCS, USN	MAL

Sanders, Ronald	YNCS, USN	MAL
Sarinas, Richard A.	SCPO, USN	MAL
Simpson, Danny L.	1STLT, USMC	94
Soos, Donald S.	YNCM, USN	91
Spence, John M.	BTCM, USN	MAL
Spencer, Robert F.	LCDR, USN	MAL
Stevens, Jerry B.	TMC(DV), USN	97

Vincent, Richard M.	SKCM(SW), USN	22

Walker, Joe W.	AMSC, USN	11
Wilcox, Russell A.	CPO, USN	106
Wright, Richard L.	YNCM, USN	106

Zaleski, Henryk B.	CWO4/SC, USN	MAL
Zarich, Victor	AZ1, USNR	MAL

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LA FRA Auxiliary

A Message from the East Coast Regional President

Greetings! The East Coast Region is fired up with boots on the ground. 
We are so excited about opportunities to be of service to others, beginning with our community outreach tasks. During the entire month of May, we fed homeless people in communities throughout the East Coast.
 
After communicating with several people who currently are living on the streets, we discovered that many of those folks don’t feel good about themselves and heartbreakingly, there are people who think that feeling good about themselves is somehow inappropriate, bad or beyond what they deserve. 

We could all make a difference in our regions. Everyone can be of service and meet the needs of others. Our job is not to explain why people are homeless or to judge their situations. Our job is to simply meet the need. 

Feeding Those in Need
We are all proud members of the Auxiliary of the FRA, and we welcome the challenge to do all that we can to be the providers of good service to others. Our region has partnered with several local churches, Cub Scout troops and neighbors to assist with caring for homeless individuals throughout the East Coast. FRA RPEC Chris Murray from Branch 40, along with RVPEC Gabriel Fulu from Branch 99, joined us and helped create ditty bags for homeless people. 

We have been campaigning at units throughout the region, asking them to join us in making ditty bags full of toiletries, hair products and personal hygiene items, such as washcloths, T-shirts and socks. The bags have also contained sandwiches, fruit, homemade chicken noodle soup and snacks. So far, we have provided these bags to homeless individuals living in Washington, D.C.; North Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; and Hampton, Virginia.
I have noticed that people naturally want to be of service and enjoy meeting the needs of others. Units throughout the East Coast are visiting nursing homes, aiding older adults, doing volunteer work at the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and visiting the sick. 

Members also like getting youth organizations involved in these service projects, which can teach young people about the value of all people and provide examples of rewarding ways to spend their time.  

In Memorium
As you may know by now, our good friend PRPEC Karen Brobst passed away on April 26. Karen had been an active member since 1980 and was a member of Unit 93 before later transferring to Unit 24. We were blessed to have her as a member for 42 years. May she rest in the arms of the Lord. Unit 24 was well represented at and took part in the services.
As always, remember: Alone you are phenomenal, but together we are a force. 
In Loyalty, Protection and Service,
RPEC Dorothy Smiley
Dorothy is the East Coast regional president of the LA FRA.

FINANCE MATTERS

Financial Wellness Check: Are You Staying Fiscally Fit?

Understanding the current health of your finances starts with having a solid plan in place, but it depends on following the plan so you stay on track and continue working toward your financial goals. That’s where a financial wellness check can be useful. It can help you make sure you’re hitting the right milestones in your plan — and also help you check that your plan is working for you.
Where to start? Here, John Knowles, lead strategy consultant of Retirement Solutions at Wells Fargo Advisors, shares six questions that can set up your financial wellness check.

Are You Adding to Your Investment Accounts on a Regular Schedule? 
Saving often and early is rule No. 1 because of the power of compounding. When you leave any investment gains in your account rather than taking them out, those gains have the opportunity to start earning returns as well.
Taking full advantage of your employer’s retirement plan — typically a 401(k) — is a good place to start. That includes contributing enough to qualify for any potential company match, something Knowles stressed to his daughter when she entered the workforce. 
“If the company is going to match you up to 5%, put 5% in at least,” he says. 
Those nearing retirement may want to explore “catch-up” contributions that allow them to add more to certain retirement accounts. 

Are Your Estate Planning Documents Up to Date?
Estate planning documents should include a will; health care power of attorney, or POA; durable POA for financial matters; and a list of your accounts and their respective contacts and account access information. You might also consider including a net worth statement, life insurance policies, property deeds, and a list of assets for your children, such as a 529 account, a trust or a Roth IRA for kids. 
Knowles says talking to loved ones is an essential part of estate planning. 
“Having those discussions, writing down your wishes and then formalizing that through official documents is key,” he says. 

Do You Have an Emergency Fund? 
A good rule of thumb is to have six months’ worth of expenses in an emergency fund. 
You might need your emergency fund even when an event is covered by an insurance policy. 
“If a natural disaster such as a hurricane does significant property damage, it takes a while for the insurance money to kick in,” he says. “And it could take a while for your employer to reopen so you can resume working.”

Do You Have a Plan for Paying for Your Child’s College Education?
If you’re thinking about paying for your child’s or grandchild’s college education, consider starting to save as early as the day they’re born, Knowles says. 
“Make college savings a part of your monthly budget just like your retirement savings,” he advises. 
529 plans and other college savings vehicles are worth considering. 

Are You Being Smart About Taxes?
With accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs, the money has the potential to grow tax-deferred. That means you pay taxes on the funds only when you withdraw during retirement. But with choices such as Roth IRAs or Roth 401(k)s,
you pay taxes on the money at the start, but then don’t pay taxes when you take qualified withdrawals. Other specialized accounts, such as Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts, may also provide tax advantages. 
“It really boils down to not putting all your eggs in one tax basket,” Knowles says. “Putting most of your wealth in tax-deferred savings accounts means when you withdraw your money, you may potentially incur a large tax bill. Diversification with taxes in mind may help reduce it.” 

Are You Getting Advice From a Professional Advisor on a Regular Basis?
Having a financial wellness checkup with a financial adviser and other professionals on topics such as taxes, estate planning and insurance is like getting health input from a doctor, Knowles says. 
A financial adviser can evaluate your situation by taking measurements on a regular basis or whenever a significant life event happens, such as a job change, marriage, or divorce. This can help determine where you stand and what actions to consider. 
“Doctors don’t ask you what your blood pressure is, they find out,” Knowles says. “Once they have all the data they need, they make a recommendation. In this case, it’s your financial adviser prescribing what can help improve your financial well-being after taking all the necessary measurements.”  

Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc., is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
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.

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• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency
• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate
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