January is here with only three more meetings in our 2003-2004 term, ending with Installation of Officers May 13, 2004.  My how time flies!  Your First Vice President, Marguerite Felt has had great luncheons and outstanding programs, and we have had terrific attendance.  By the time you receive this newsletter you will have had your January luncheon, with your surprise guest, Elvis Presley.  I know all of you enjoyed his entertainment!

ROWS annual dinner dance at the Princess Anne Country Club on December 5, 2003, was a big success, with three hours of Walter Noona’s Big Band.  A special hour of dinner music by Walter Noona himself on the piano was provided with compliments to your president and ROWS from Walter.  Our attendance was over 125, which filled our room with such Holiday spirit.  It was a pleasure to dance to the tunes of our time.  Santa arrived before the feast and assisted in passing out presents and good cheer.  We received so many compliments about our dinner dance, great camaraderie and beautiful music, and, of course, our cute, lovable Santa Claus…Marguerite’s son-in-law.

Membership has not grown back to 400 due to illness, deaths and moves.  We only lack a few.  Please invite your spouse, a friend or a potential member for our Sweetheart luncheon on February 12, 2004, at the Cavalier Yacht and Golf Club.  Let’s end our year with over 400 in May.

The Spring Fashion Show will be at Grand Affairs March 11, 2004, again commencing at 11:30.  Start planning your table and have your friends attend. 

Thanks to all who helped make 2003 a great year.

Mark your calendars for this ROWS luncheon meeting: 

March, Fashion Show at Grand Affairs by Chico’s, located in La Promenade.

The lucky mystery winner of our January New Year’s Fifty-Fifty Raffle bore away with $26.00.

For the most current and up-to-date schedule of chapter events, click on Calendar of Events

Roses
     Marjorie Wohler
     Rose Mihelic

Get Well Cards
     Rose Mihelic

Sympathy Cards
     Family of Jevonne Hedlund
     CDR Robert Patton, USN-Ret., loss of wife Sunny Patton
     Jane Hammond Sickel, loss of husband H. Marshal Sickel, USMC-Ret.
     Sharron D’Angelo, loss of mother

Memorials
     Southeastern Virginia Chapter of Alzheimer’s Assn in memory of 
          Sophia “Sunny” Patton, 12/13/03
     Poinsettia to Kellum Funeral Home in memory of Jevonne Hedlund, 12/14/03
     Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church in memory of H. Marshal Sickel, USMC-Ret.

Acknowledgements
     Kempsville Volunteer Rescue Squad in re CDR Donald E. Babcock, USN-Ret., 11/11/03
     Alzheimers Association for memorial in re Sonny Patton

Personal Notes of Thanks
     Family of Jevonne Hedlund
     Family of Helen C. Leblanc
     Marjorie Wohler

Concurrent Receipt champions Rep. Roy Blount (R. MO), Rep, Duncan Hunter (R. CA), Rep. Chris Smith (R. NJ) and Rep. Mike Bilirakis (R-FL) met with MOAA and other military and veterans’ associations to announce a final concurrent receipt agreement with Senate leaders and the White House.  It is a “Glass half full, not half empty” deal.  Retirees with at least 20 years of service and VA disability ratings of 50 percent or higher will see their military retired pay offsets phased out over a 10-year period starting Jan.1, 2004.  Recently enacted Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) will be expanded to include all combat or operations related disabilities from 10 percent to 100 percent ratings, also effective Jan. 1, 2004.  In both cases, Guard and Reserve retirees with 20 qualifying years of services will be eligible.  By January 2014, disabled retirees will be entitled to full concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation.  Disabled retirees who qualify for both programs will have to choose one or the other.  This entire settlement was short of the total desired but this was the one being offered or nothing.  MOAA leaders will pursue progress on other issues.

Several military and veterans organizations including MOAA Pres. VADM Norbert Ryan, Jr. (USN. Ret.) attended a discussion at the Pentagon in early Oct.  The attendees received a briefing on Operation Tribute, an update on defense personnel and readiness issues.  Ryan urged the Pentagon leadership to intercede with Congress to push for final passage of Military tax relief legislation (H.R. 1307) that has been pending on Capitol Hill for months.  Also, he urged authorizing health care coverage for National Guard and Reserve members and families.

New bills designed to increase the chance of enactment of SBP will be issued.  Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D. LA) bill, S.401, would phase in increases in the SBP benefit to 55 percent after age 62 and the increase would be phased in over 10 years.  Rep. Jeff Miller (R.FL) who sponsored H.R. 548 is working with Landrieu to get the funding authority to raise the SBP benefit in next year’s Budget Resolution.

Uninsured Reserves will be able to get TriCare on a cost-share basis in FY 2004.  This is envisioned as a one-year test program to determine the feasibility of permanent authority.
Congress completes Military Tax Relief.  H.R. 3365 which passed the House Oct. 29, called for an increase in the death gratuity from $6,000. to $12,000.  Senate bill 351 amended the bill to make the full amount tax-free.  Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Rep. Chet Edwards (D. TX), Rep. A. Houghton (R-NY), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), Rep. Rick Rengi (R-AZ) have all worked tirelessly to push for final resolution and agreement.

There may be a better way to experience New York than with ROWS, but I haven’t found it 
yet.  First there’s the transportation (what’s not to like about your own private bus with a driver like Joe?)  Then there’s the itinerary (a time to learn, a time to shop, a time to eat, a time to shop – you get the picture.)  And the price (no way could you get three nights in a comfortable midtown hotel; tickets to a Broadway musical and the Rockettes) to an elegant dinner (with a maitre d’ who reminds you of Cesar Romero) to personalized instructions on how to negotiate the subway system (from a former soap opera actress yet) to an in-house deli with real New York corned beef sandwiches, blintzes, matzo ball soup and a frenzied wait staff from central casting (“youse wan grits, youse eat breakfast in Georgia – here youse get fries) and some of the best company around all for a little over $700 for four days? 

If that’s not enough, for the same amount of money you also get to hear the hair-raising tale of a bunch of bargain-hunting pillars of the retired military community being locked into a subbasement by an alien (what green card?) who is trying to escape the Feds.  All in the name of finding Louis Vuitton knockoffs at bargain basement (you should forgive the pun) prices.  Did I mention that the story about escaping the G-men was given credence by the fact that the morning’s Daily News carried a story of an all-out attempt by law enforcement to close down the knockoff street business the day before?

But enough about the 2003 ROWS trip to the Big Apple.  To learn more, book yourself a seat on next year’s tour.  I know I plan to.

Balance Brought Forward December 1, 2003			$7,889.15
Receipts
D. Dance Reserv.	12/09	$4,305.00
Total Deposits			$4,305.00
Working Balance			$12,194.15
Disbursements
Walter Noona - D. Dance, Band	12/04	$750.00
P.A. CC - Dec. Dance	12/04	$4,049.00
Postmaster - Bulk Mail Deposit	12/08	$450.00
Memorial - S. Patton	12/20	$15.00
Total Disbursements			$5,274.00
Cash Balance Forward December 31, 2003			$6,920.15