Most of us are aware that Congress passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to assist individuals, as well as small and large businesses, directly affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The MOAA Financial Education Team of Lt. Col. Shane Ostrom, USAF (Ret), CFP® and Capt. Paul J. Frost, AFC®, USN (Ret) put together a summary of key provisions that will most impact the military and veteran community. To access that summary, click on this link.

If you are a Korean War Veteran or ever served in Korea and would like to revisit Korea on a vacation compliments of the Korean Government you need to read this and take advantage of this amazing opportunity. Dependents of Korea vets are also eligible.

The Korea Veterans Association (Seoul), started the program in 1975 which is now hosted

by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, by providing Korean War Veterans and

their families free hotel accommodations, bus tours of Seoul, Inchon and the DMZ, and all

meals in Korea. The Land of Morning Calm remembers and sincerely appreciates all veterans

who fought, protected and sacrificed in securing freedom and democracy for the Republic of Korea.

The Korean government is continuing to subsidize the veterans & family members/companion airfare for the 65th Anniversaries, in addition to already paying for hotel, meals and touring in Korea and will end the program in 2020 so don’t delay.

Please download information brochure and application form below.

We recently lost some of our long-serving USO volunteers due to age and/or medical limitations and we need young and enthusiastic folks to replace them. If you are tired of your sedentary life style, and wish to get out of the house and do something physical, worthwhile, self-fulfilling and fun please consider signing up as a USO volunteer – WE NEED YOU!

Getting more of our chapter members actively involved in service projects in support of our military and their families here at Fort Bragg helps promote chapter cohesion, esprit de corps, and a sense of purpose.

USO volunteerism is by no means new to our chapter, since the USO center at the Fayetteville Regional Airport opened in November 2011 a small number of our chapter members (11 to 14) have volunteered their services as USO stewards at the airport lounge. The number has remained relatively constant, with only 12 currently serving. Our goal is to get that number up to around 20 or 24 to embellish this chapter-sponsored endeavor.

The Fayetteville Airport USO Center is behind security on the second floor of the airport. The center is 100% operated by volunteers who have gone through the badging process and are dedicated to keeping the center open, available and a comfortable center for our traveling military and their families. At this time, the USO needs dependable volunteers who are willing to commit to at least two 4-hour periods per month serving in the center; you make your own schedule. There is also a dire need for volunteers to work at the Fort Bragg USO Center located in the Soldier Support Center at Fort Bragg.

If you are interested, please complete the initial steps at "http://www.volunteers.uso.org/ and then, email Brian Knight at Send e-mail to get your application process moving forward. Please let Brian know that you are a member of the Cape Fear Chapter, MOAA.

The newly elected Cape Fear Chapter officers for the 2-year term beginning January 2019 were officially installed in a ceremony during the traditional biennial Installation Dinner held at the Fort Bragg Iron Mike Conference Center on 25 January 2019.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen Dana Atkins, President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America administered the oath of office to: MAJ (Ret) Ira M. Watkins, President; MAJ (Ret) George Bond, 1st Vice President; COL (Ret) Richard Underwood, 2nd Vice President; LTC (Ret) Marty Williams, 3rd Vice President; LTC (Ret) Ralph W. Hinrichs, Jr., Treasurer; and, Mrs. Sara Ballard, Secretary.

The Cape Fear Chapter conferred Honorary Membership upon the Honorable Nat Robertson, Mayor of Fayetteville at the general membership meeting on May 26, 2017.

In the history of the chapter, honorary membership is a courtesy that has been extended to every Mayor of Fayetteville.

President Chavez presented Mayor Robertson with a framed Honorary Membership Certificate, an engraved chapter coin mounted on a coin lock, and a chapter hat as tokens of our appreciation and respect.

The newly elected Cape Fear Chapter officers for the 2-year term beginning January 2017 were officially installed in a ceremony during the traditional biennial Installation Dinner held at the Fort Bragg Iron Mike Conference Center on 20 January 2017.

COL (Ret) Jeri Graham member of the MOAA Board of Directors administered the oath of office to: COL (Ret) Juan Chavez, President; COL (Ret) Stan Dodson, 1st Vice President; COL (Ret) George Blanc, 2nd Vice President; LTC (Ret) Marty Williams, 3rd Vice President; LTC (Ret) Dennis Franken, Treasurer; and, LTC (Ret) Don Gersh, Secretary.

As our nation observes the USO’s 75th anniversary of service to our nation’s military this year, it presents an opportunity for our Chapter to rededicate our efforts in support of USO activities here in Fayetteville and Fort Bragg.

The CFC Board of Directors has been exploring ways of getting more of our chapter members actively involved in service projects in support of our military and their families here at Fort Bragg with the goal of promoting chapter cohesion, esprit de corps, and a sense of purpose and self-fulfillment.

The only chapter members who are actively engaged in chapter activities on a regular basis are a small number who serve on the board of directors and special staff, plus a dozen or so USO volunteers. We have not had much success in encouraging the other 95% of our members to get involved other than attending an occasional meeting now and then. Other MOAA chapters have undertaken projects such as adopting a VA health facility or nursing home, a military museum, and the like, to get their members actively engaged in a chapter-sponsored endeavor.

USO volunteerism is by no means new to our chapter, since the USO center at the Fayetteville Regional Airport opened in November 2011 a small number of our chapter members (11 to 14) have volunteered their services as USO stewards at the airport lounge. The number has remained relatively constant, with only 12 currently serving. We would like to inject new energy into this program by perhaps increasing that number to 50 or more; not unrealistic when one considers that we have close to 300 members, plus approximately 250 spouses. (Approximately 50% of our current volunteers are husband-wife teams.)

The Fayetteville Airport USO Center is behind security on the second floor of the airport. The center is 100% operated by volunteers who have gone through the badging process and are dedicated to keeping the center open, available and a comfortable center for our traveling military and their families. At this time, the USO needs dependable volunteers who are willing to commit to at least 8 hours per month serving in the center. There is also a dire need for volunteers to work at the Fort Bragg USO Center located in the Soldier Support Center at Fort Bragg.

If you are interested, please complete the initial steps at http://www.volunteers.uso.org/ and then, email Beverly Jackson at Send email to get your application process moving forward. Please let Beverly know that you are a member of the Cape Fear Chapter, MOAA.

The Cape Fear Chapter conferred Honorary Membership upon Drew Brooks, Military Editor of the Fayetteville Observer at the general membership meeting on July 29, 2016.

Mr. Brooks was honored for his sustained outstanding support of the Cape Fear Chapter for the past three years.

President Chavez presented Drew with a Honorary Membership Certificate, plus an engraved chapter coin mounted on a coin lock as a token of appreciation.

Our heartfelt thanks are extended to the following chapter members who so generously contributed to the Global War on Terrorism Memorial fund drive. The chapter was successful in raising $25,000 in 6 months from personal donations, thus fulfilling its pledge to help fund a long-overdue and much deserved memorial to our military men and women who have sacrificed so much in the war against global terrorism since 9/11.

Contributors: Al Alvarez, Tim Atkinson, Rudy Baker, Eli Ballard, Matt Barker, Larry Bass, Ron Bean, Bill Bell, Dave & Tammy Beshlin, George Blanc, George Bond, Mark Boyatt, Bobby Breece, Charlie Brindel, Bruce Brown, Bob & Elizabeth Bunce, Steve Byrnes, Juan Chavez, Ken Chavis, Dave Cheney, Dan Connelly, Maria Cory, Jerry Croll, Tad Davis, Tom Delahunty, Stan Dodson, Tom Donnelly, George Dudley, Clark Ecklund, Ron Elrod, Carl Flanagan, Dennis Franken, Bill Freccia, Bob Garman, Don Gersh, George Glann, Tom Glockzin, Jeri Graham, Chris Grates, Mark Hayden, John Hazlett, Mac Healy, Sam Higdon, Ralph Hinrichs, Alex Hodges, Al Howe, Ike & Pat Isaacson, Carol Ivey, Frank Jaks, Tom King, Earl Klinck, Hank Larsen, Art Macaltao, Steve Mannell, Steve McDavid, Dan McNeill, Dot Miller, Joe Nagel, Tim Newton, Ron O'Brien, Chester Oehme, Charles Pimble, Rick Porter, George Quigley, Deogracia Quinones, Art Rodriguez, Al Rose, Dean Russell, Brian Scott, Ed Seemer, Jon & Casey Sheets, Tom Shipp, Henry Simpson, Arlie & Ingrid Smith, Bob Smoot, Phyllis Streit, Barry Swift, John Szoka, Harold Thacker, Earl Thieme, Ed Thomas, Robert Tiffany, James Volkmann, Dave Vroom, Bob White, Jim Wilde, Marty Williams, Emilie Williams, and Drew Ziegler.

The Cape Fear Chapter conferred Honorary Membership upon two long standing supporters at the annual general membership meeting on November 21, 2015.

Mr. Stephen R. LaHam (top photo), President and CEO of Anfinsen Plastic Molding and Assembly, Inc. of Oswego, Illinois was honored for his substantial monetary support of our annual fundraising golf tournament. Mr. LaHam, a staunch patriot and keen supporter of our military, has been the top monetary donor year after year for several years standing.

Mr. John "Mac" Healy, President and CEO of Healy Wholesale, Inc. of Fayetteville was recognized for his generous material support of our annual golf tournament for several years. Mac followed in the footsteps of his late father, Fritz Healy, also a Honorary Member of our Chapter for many years.

Both gentlemen were presented with Honorary Membership Certificates, engraved chapter coins mounted on coin locks, and chapter hats by President Chavez.

We welcome Chaplain (Colonel) Gregory K. Williamson, US Army, Retired as the new Senior Army Instructor at Lumberton Senior High School in Lumberton effective 13 February 2015. He lives in Fayetteville with his wife Jackie; they have two grown sons, Aaron and Isaac, who also reside in the Fayetteville area with their families. Colonel Williamson joined the chapter and he looks forward to attending some of our meetings. We wish him the best of success in his new job.

Colonel Williamson replaces LTC (Ret) Neil Harper who stepped down after one year at LSHS.

Other than serving in one of the five elective positions, there are many other ways chapter members can serve and make meaningful contributions. We are in dire need of volunteers to help carry the load of operating the Chapter in an effective and efficient manner. The majority of the positions/jobs listed only require a commitment of a few hours a month of your time and most of the work can be performed from or in your home. Any member or their spouses may participate. Some of the positions listed below are currently filled, but having a replacement in queue to understudy would be ideal.

If anyone is interested in volunteering for one or more of the positions listed, please call our Secretary Don Gersh at (910) 484-4545, or email at Secretary@cfmoaa.org.

Executive Board and Special Staff Appointive Positions:

Surviving Spouse Liaison Officer (surviving spouse preferred)

Personal Affairs Officer

Newsletter Editor

Assistant Newsletter Editor

Assistant Secretary

Webmaster

TOPS (The Officer Placement Service)

On-Going Committees:

ROTC and Scholarship Committee

Personal Affairs Committee

Newsletter Editorial Committee

Legislative Committee

Programs Committee

Publicity Committee

Sponsorship Sales Committee

Membership Committee

Information Dissemination Committee

Membership Directory Committee

TOPS (The Officer Placement Service) Group

Special Purpose Committees and other programs:

Nominating Committee (on election years)

Golf Tournament Committee

Honor Guard Member

ROTC Awards Presenter

USO Volunteer

The Support the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery Fund recently received a substantial donation from one of our chapter members, LTC (Ret) Dean Russell and his wife Ginny.

In July, the NC General Assembly appropriated $125,000 to upgrade the committal structure at the Veterans Cemetery at Spring Lake with the stipulation that the community was to raise a matching $125,000 in donations.

At the 8 December 2013 Community Concerts screening of the documentary “Honor Flight” at the Crown Arena, Dean and Ginny Russell were publicly recognized for their personal donation of a matching $125,000. Governor Pat McCrory was present to sign a ceremonial $125,000 check to honor his commitment.

The Friends of the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery are pursuing the funding to provide a place of dignity for veterans and their families to have funeral services for their loved ones at the cemetery in Spring Lake. When attending funerals at that site, families are sometimes exposed to inclement weather.

No one knows that better than Dean Russell who is also the Commander of the Cape Fear Chapter Honor Guard. The Honor Guard was established to pay respects and provide support to the families of deceased chapter members upon request. The Honor Guard provides sentries at the casket or urn during the visitation, and serves as honorary pall bearers at the funeral service. Dean’s membership in MOAA and his role as commander of the Cape Fear Chapter Honor Guard were highlighted during his introduction.

The Russell’s unwavering support of our community and specifically our veterans is worthy of the highest esteem. The awareness of our chapter and MOAA in general they fashioned as a result of their benevolence is priceless. Thank you Dean and Ginny!

The first event of the new year is the Installation Dinner when we celebrate the official installation of a new Board of Directors. While this is normally a biennial event it will be four years since our last one because of the Covid pandemic.

Barring an unexpected Covid flareup, this year’s event will take place on Saturday, 14 January 2023 in the Iron Mike Conference Center starting at 5:00 PM.

We ask every chapter member who can attend to please do so as a show of appreciation and respect for fellow members who have volunteered to taken on the responsibility of leading our chapter forward for the next two years.

The guest speaker for the event will be Retired US Navy Captain Frank J. Michael, MOAA’s Program Director for Council and Chapter Affairs. Captain Michael will also administer the oath of office to the new officers. We expect Captain Michael to give us a comprehensive report on National MOAA and specifically how local chapters contribute to the effectiveness and success of our National organization. To access Capt. Michael's biography click on download bar above.

Part of the agenda will include a free drawing for some neat prizes. Each attendee will be provided with a ticket at the registration table.

For reservations and details download event flier below. Please RSVP without delay!