The theme for this quarter is Fort Bliss Military-El Paso Community Volunteerism.  As we enter the 1st Quarter FY11 I want to encourage you each to seek out, and support volunteer initiatives focused on active and retired military service members support to less fortunate El Paso Community civilians.  Your El Paso Chapter of the Military Officers’ Association of America (MOAA) is going to use this quarter to seek opportunities to continue serving our community and reinforce the close, mutually supportive relationship between El Paso and its active duty and retiree military community.  I would like to lead teams of volunteers in serving Thanksgiving meals at the El Paso Homeless shelter, or solicit canned goods and linen for the Dame Le Mano Home for Unwed Mothers at Christmas.  I want to solicit your suggestions and organize teams of volunteers to find ways to help the less fortunate, and also recognize others demonstrating the spirit of volunteerism.  October, November and December will present numerous opportunities for our MOAA Volunteer initiatives.  We are exceptionally fortunate to be a part of an extremely unique relationship between the military and El Paso citizens.  We are part of a very special relationship here in El Paso and we’re going to take this quarter and attempt to demonstrate our appreciation of this unique relationship.

 

     The 4th quarter theme called for MOAA members to Embrace Change, recognizing the significant turnover in key leaders at Fort Bliss, and William Beaumont Army Medical Center, but also recognizing the opportunities that those transitions presented.  As Fort Bliss continues to grow so will the retiree community, and so will our need to inform that growing retiree community on the benefits and programs that MOAA represents of our military retiree community.  Our 14 August MOAA luncheon  at the Great American Land and Cattle Company represented our largest gathering to date, nearly doubling the attendance we experienced at this time last year.  Bob Pitt has continued to lead the transformation in our luncheons and our effort to experience a wider variety of El Paso’s restaurants and cuisine.  Your MOAA Chapter also sponsored Organizational Days events at both WBAMC and JTF-North in August.  Your Chapter also supported the UTEP ROTC team’s participation in the Army Ten Miler in Washington DC.  We continue to review and consolidate additional duties and Board of Directors (BOD) responsibilities in an effort to build efficiencies and capitalize on individual initiative and expertise.  We are always looking for volunteers…if you are interested in supporting MOAA activities as a volunteer or as a board member please contact any one of our board members.  MAJ Hogeboom returned from Iraq in June and volunteered to serve as the new Director for Membership for the Chapter in August.  We will continue to take advantage of our active duty veterans to compliment the basis for MOAA’s success, our retiree community.

 

     In addition to several holiday events, there are many opportunities for fellowship and camaraderie during the 1st Quarter.  The Amigo Airsho is scheduled for 16,17 October at Biggs Army Airfield (BAAF).  The 11th Annual Veteran’s Day Gala is scheduled for the 11th of November at the Centennial.  MOAA will continue its tradition of supporting the event by purchasing a number of seats for active duty service members.  On 13 November NAUS will host its traditional Turkey Thanksgiving Luncheon at the Centennial.  The Guest Speaker will be COL Forrest Smith…hope to see as many of you there as possible as we celebrate Thanksgiving with close partners in NAUS.  The next MOAA Luncheon will be on 4 December at the Centennial…we’re not going to go back to the Centennial on a permanent basis, but we’re going to  give the Centennial another opportunity to participate in our tour of El Paso restaurants.  As a reminder MOAA will also support the Army-Navy tailgate at the Centennial on 11 December.  

 

     We continue to enjoy exceptional benefits associated with actively supporting the largest military installation in the Army with the largest and most advanced military training facilities in the Army.  Fort Bliss is on the cusp of becoming the most desirable military installation for Active Duty service members.  The military retiree community can expect a corresponding increase in the retiree population, and that reinforces the importance of organizations like MOAA.   Let us continue to work together this quarter to acknowledge the unique relationship between the military active and retiree communities and the residents of El Paso, and let’s continue to seek to find unique and creative ways to volunteer our services in the coming holiday season.  Thanks for your continued support.r.