Visit our website at: http://www.moaafl.org/chapters/KOSMOAA/

September/October 2015Vol. XL No. 5

2014 was a Good Year On August 7, 2015, I received an E-mail from MOAA National Headquarters that our KOS Chapter had been selected as a 2014 Levels of Excellence (LOE) Award. On the following day Jim Conner from Florida Council of Chapters (FCOC) sent me an E-mail that our Award was a Five Stars Award. This is GREAT News. The last time our chapter was a Five Star winner was in 2009. I have been invited to attend the MOAA Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL and receive this Five Stars Award. The Five Stars streamer will be added to our KOS Banner. Our thanks to Sharon Murry and her writing team for their great work for this special prize.KOS Stuffs the Bus Support for Operation “Stuff the Bus” Project was our major undertaking this summer. John Rose and his team worked very hard in July and August in supporting Suzanne McGuire from the Homeless Children Liaison for Marion County Public Schools. There were four stops at the different Walmart stores in our area. We had KOS Chapter members at all these locations from 9 to 5 handing out flyers, collecting school supply items, and loading them into the Yellow

LTC Arlo Janssen, US Army (Ret.) President, 2015, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA

School Bus on location. See page 5 for Stuff the Bus photos. I attended the July 7, 2015, Kick-Off meeting of Operation “Stuff the Bus” with the Board of Commissioners for Marion County. “Stuff the Bus” will continue through the month of August and into September. Bring your “Most Needed School Supplies” or your checks to our September 3, 2015, KOS luncheon to fill our “Stuff the Bus” basket. KOS Visits Congressmen Phil Johnson and I met with Congressman Rich Nugent (FL-11, R) and other area MOAA Chapter members on August 13, 2015, in Inverness, FL. This meeting was organized by Bob Bienvenue, who is the FCOC Legislative Chair. I have visited the Rich Nugent and Dennis Baxley offices in Ocala and have added my name to their E-mail contact list as the Chapter President of KOS/MOAA.Welcome, New Director The one vacant position on the KOS Board of Directors has been filled by COL Bob Morris from the Villages. We are glad to have Bob and Jackie on board our newly crowned “Five Stars” Chapter. Editor’s Note: The Schedule of Events has moved to page 7.

COPY FOR PAGE 1 Change top box to read “No. 5” and “September/October”

LTC Arlo Janssen, US Army (Ret.) President, 2015, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA

2014 was a Good Year On August 7, 2015, I received an email from MOAA National Headquarters that our KOS Chapter had been selected as a 2014 Levels of Excellence (LOE) Award. On the following day Jim Conner from (FCOC) sent me an email that our Award was a Five Stars Award. This is GREAT News. The last time our chapter was a Five Star winner was in 2009. I have been invited to attend the MOAA Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL and receive this Five Stars Award. The Five Stars streamer will be added to our KOS Banner. Our thanks to Sharon Murry and her writing team for their great work for this special prize.

KOS Stuffs the Bus Support for Operation “Stuff the Bus” Project was our major undertaking this summer. John Rose and his team worked very hard in July and August in supporting Suzanne McGuire from the Homeless Children Liaison for Marion County Public Schools. There were four stops at the different Walmart stores in our area. We had KOS Chapter members at all these locations from 9 to 5 handing out flyers, collecting school supply items, and loading them into the Yellow School Bus on location. See page 5 for Stuff the Bus photos. I attended the July 7, 2015, Kick-Off meeting of Operation “Stuff the Bus” with the Board of Commissioners for Marion County. “Stuff the Bus” will continue through the month of August and into September. Bring your “Most Needed School Supplies” or your checks to our September 3, 2015, KOS luncheon to fill our “Stuff the Bus” basket.

KOS Visits Congressmen Phil Johnson and I met with Congressman Rich Nugent (FL-11, R) and other area MOAA Chapter members on August 13, 2015, in Inverness, FL. This meeting was organized by Bob Bienvenue, who is the Florida Council of Chapters Legislative Chair. I have visited the Rich Nugent and Dennis Baxley offices in Ocala and have added my name to their email contact list as the Chapter President of KOS/MOAA.

Welcome, New Director The one vacant position on the KOS Board of Directors has been filled by COL Bob Morris from the Villages. We are glad to have Bob and Jackie on board our newly crowned “Five Stars” Chapter.

Editor’s Note: The Schedule of Events has moved. Look for it on page 7.

PLEASE MOVE the SCHEDULE OF EVENTS BOX to the TOP of PAGE 7

SUNBEAMS PAGE 2 September/October 2015

Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAAPO Box 114, Ocala, Florida 34478-0114

IN MEMORIAMMrs. Ruth Henderson, wife of KOS charter member COL C. Brooks Henderson, USAR, passed away in Gainesville, FL, this summer.

HOW DID KOS WIN FIVE STARS?

The Military Officers Association of America recognizes its best chapters every year. Since KOS was included in that group in 2014, you should know some of the reasons why KOS was chosen.

KOS recruits only a small number of new members each year but most people who join, stay. We all enjoy the camaraderie of this chapter, so KOS has a very high retention rate.

Our officers attend state and national conventions to stay apprised of MOAA’s lobbying goals. Every issue of SUNBEAMS contains at least one article about current legislative issues.

KOS members support local veterans through many community organizations. We’re active in the Veteran’s Council, we started the Veterans Quarterly Memorial Service, we are part of the Veteran’s Court program. We lobbied with other veterans groups to locate a VA nursing home in Marion County.

We also support military youth programs. In 2014, KOS members presented MOAA outstanding Junior awards to all eight JROTC programs in Marion County. We recruited for the service academies, served on Congressman Nugent’s committee to evaluate service academy candidates, and served on the Board of Francis Marion Military Academy. We presented a scholarship to a graduating senior who planned to make the military a career.

KOS members do everything mentioned above every year, but for the last few years the chapter received four stars. What was different in 2014? KOS implemented its Social Affiliate program; KOS staged a LUAU that raised $17,000 for Stuff the Bus to benefit 2700 homeless children; and KOS published six issues of SUNBEAMS. To earn Five Stars of Excellence, a chapter must publish its newsletter six times a year.

Sustained excellence, innovation, fundraising for the neediest of our neighbors, and six copies annually of KOS’s national award-winning newsletter appear to be the reasons MOAA honored the chapter in 2014. We’ve known for years that KOS is a special chapter.

SUNBEAMS is published bimonthly for the information of the members of Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Chapter, an affiliate of The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of either organization.

SUNBEAMS is printed by the Concord Press of Ocala, Florida. KOS is a nonprofit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April 1976. It is not associated with the Department of Defense.Editor: Lt. Col. Sharon M. Murry (Air Force), 352-347-8760 Photo Editor: Dennis Rose (Air Force), 425-0500Legislation: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403Publisher: Kingdom of the Sun Chapter of MOAAChapter Officers: President: LTC Arlo Janssen, (Army) 237-97201st V.P.: COL Robert Schlegel (Army),516-815-2816 2nd V.P.: Lt. Col. Carol C. Walker (Air Force), 237-6546 SECRETARY: Mrs. Betty Hayes, Auxiliary, 622-7813TREASURER: Mrs. Linda Byrd, Auxiliary 509-4317 Directors: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403 CDR Thomas W. Dann (USCGR), 245-3571 CPT John Rose (Army), 307-6130 CW03 Ralph Spiller Jr. (Navy), 454-7238 Mrs. Bonnie Morris, Auxiliary, 622-8331COL Robert Morris, Jr.(Army), 352-259-9393Birthday Representative:Mrs. Marilou Truitt, Auxiliary, 732-6046Distaff Representative: Mrs. Betty Hayes, Auxiliary, 622-7813 Immediate Past PresidentLt. Col. Sharon M. Murry (Air Force), 347-8760Meetings:

The Kingdom of the Sun Chapter (MOAA), meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month. Dates, times and occasions are announced in advance in the SUNBEAMS.

Members are encouraged to attend and guests are always welcome. Meetings are usually suspended during the summer months of July and August. The KOS Board currently meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 P.M. at the Ocala Elks Club. Officers and Board Members are required to attend.

SUNBEAMS PAGE 3 September/October 2015

by Mrs. Betty HayesDISTAFF SIDETHE

Each member of your MOAAS/KOS Officers and Board of Directors is responsible for serving as a committee chairperson (see page one of our current Membership Directory for the complete list). As of this writing, all of the program presentations and activities for our luncheons and dinners are being planned and arranged by our Second Vice President Lt Col Carol Walker, USAF. Previously, this position was held by COL. Robert “BOB” Schlegel, USAR who now is the First Vice President. LTC Arlo Janssen, USA has moved into the position of President due to the resignation of COL James L. “Bud” Smith, USA for health reasons.

There is one month, February, that has always been dedicated to the Distaff Side to arrange the luncheon presentation. The Ladies of the Distaff Side, the Auxiliary, and the Social Affiliate Group have done a peerless job in their choice of presentations. Among their most recent presentations we have been treated to: A Mardi Gras Parade with music and crowning a King and Queen; A Valentine Tribute with an historic telling and roses for each lady, and last year A Chinese New Year’s Day Festival with oriental food and stories.

Now that our summer respite is over, it is time to start thinking about planning for February 2016. Ladies who are reading this article, we are asking you for your input. Do you have any ideas for a February celebration at the Elk’s club? You can e-mail me your ideas at my e-mail that is listed on page 6 of the current Membership Directory. Or you can jot down your ideas and give it to any Officer or Board Member at the September luncheon.

We will contact the author of the selected idea and arrange a planning meeting for any interested ladies to attend. Help support your MOAAS/KOS chapter with your good ideas! There is no prize if your idea is selected, but you will have fun with a great group of ladies working together on this project. Special Note: We always have “goodies” to eat at our planning meetings.

MEMORY JOGGER: New MOAA/KOS members, we need your MOAA Membership number in order to include you in our Official Membership Directory that will be published in 2016. Please e-mail it to Betty Hayes.

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SUNBEAMS PAGE 4 September/October 2015

KUDOS to LTC Arlo Janssen and LTC Phil Johnson for their pro-active approach to legislative liaison through visits and commentary. In a community like Marion County where congressmen generally support MOAA values, it is easy to become complacent. Read the back pages of this and every issue of SUNBEAMS to see what Phil thinks we should know about national issues of concern to MOAA.

KUDOS to all of us who created an organization that deserved to be included in MOAA’s best chapters for 2014 AND in the same year to receive a national award for SUNBEAMS. Pat yourselves on the back and keep doing things in 2015 that our writing team can brag about for this year.

KOS ANNUAL MEETING IS NOV 5, 2014

This constitutes the notice of the KOS/MOAA Annual Meeting on November 5, 2015. No elections need to be held at this meeting. CDR James Chandler, the Nominating Committee chairman, presents this slate of officers for 2016.

KOS Remembers Deceased FriendsKOS always remembers with appropriate ceremony at the Annual Meeting the KOS members and spouses who have passed away during the past year. Come to the November meeting, and remember our comrades.

OfficersPresident: LTC Arlo Janssen, USA

1st Vice President: COL Robert Schlegel, USAR

2nd Vice President: Lt. Col. Carol Walker, USAF

Secretary: Mrs. Betty Hayes, AUXTreasurer: Mrs. Linda Byrd, AUX

Past President: Lt. Col. Sharon Murry, USAF

DirectorsTerm ending 2016

LTC Phillip Johnson, USACWO3 Ralph Spiller, Jr., USN

Term ending 2017CPT John Rose, USA

COL Robert Morris, Jr., USACDR Thomas Dann, USCGR

SUNBEAMS PAGE 5 September/October 2015

August 2015

Janet Lee and George Tomyn

SEE AND BE SEEN Uç WxÇÇ|á eÉáx a MONTH BY MONTH 2015 PHOTO HISTORY OF KOS. aRE YOU IN IT?

SUNBEAMS PAGE 6 September/October 2015

Throughout my Air Force career, I had the luxury of being assigned to a new crew and having an experienced mentor to turn to. It’s always been nice to seek out someone with tenure, someone who has been around the block once or twice and can show you the ropes. But what happens when everyone on your team is as new as you?

The service chiefs are about to experience that predicament. Within a 12-month period, every member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is going to complete his term, an occurrence not seen in over 30 years - and the turbulence they may face over the next year will be startling.

One job of the Joint Chiefs is to ensure personnel readiness and one of the first things the Joint Chiefs must address is increased pessimism within the ranks. A recent Military Times survey found that barely one in four surveyed said they believed their leadership had their best interests at heart. The same survey found 56 percent of those surveyed stated their quality of life is good or excellent - down from 91 percent in 2009.

It’s easy to see why morale is sinking. Sequestration has forced the military to take a disproportionate share of solving the nation’s budget problems. We’ve asked the services to kick out exceptional personnel and eroded troops’ pay and benefits, creating such an unstable environment where military families never know when the next shoe will drop.

Instead of planning for tomorrow’s battles today, sequestration forces the military to fight tomorrow’s battles with yesterday’s budget.

The new chiefs will be the first to experience how troops will respond to major retirement reform. The

current military pension program is one of the key incentives to serve a full career in uniform. Will a 20 percent cut cause troops to vote with their feet?

How will the force of the future respond to the current Pentagon’s appropriately titled Force of the Future initiative? Will the prospect of relaxing some of rigidity that exists in the military foster retention, or will it leave troops wondering if the military offers anything different from jobs in corporate America? After all, if you could get the same experience in the civilian sector without the prospect of being shot at, would you stay in?

And, ultimately, the service chiefs will need to figure out how to structure the remaining force to face the next war. Will the next conflict be long, large, and protracted, or consist of small, tactical, and precise skirmishes?

How will the leaner military respond to asymmetrical warfare in disparate locations? How will it fare against cyber-attacks like the recent OPM data breach? Can a lean military project force to countries like China, North Korea, or any future enemy the United States may face? Will a military that’s already being cut to the bone be able to face a traditional enemy in combat?

Regardless of the threat, the remaining force will continue to go into harm’s way as long as the troops know that leadership has their back and their family’s interests at heart.

The Bottom Line: With the unstable environment we’re in, it’s critical that the service chiefs work on winning back the trust of troops and their families.

NEW SERVICE CHIEFS FACE CHALLENGES by Col Mike Hayden, USAF (ret.) July 10, 2015

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS(Excerpts from MOAA’s email updates, Copyright © Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) or from other sources as cited).

600 S. Magnolia AvenueOcala, Florida 34471

(352) 629-0736Fax: (352) 732-0311

Email:Service@concordprintocala.com

SUNBEAMS PAGE 7 September/October 2015

Schedule of Events

OCTOBER1 - Halloween Dinner Dance

Ocala Elks Cost: $16 6:00 P.M., Cocktails (cash bar) 6:30 P.M., DinnerMenu: Tossed salad, turkey and dressing, candied yams, peas and carrots, and chef’s choice of desert.

Reservation by Sep. 28 13 - KOS Board Meeting 12:30 P.M., at Ocala Elks 14 - Officers Call 5:00-7:00 P.M., Ocala Elks Informal outreach to MOAA

national members and others interested in possibly joining KOS

NOVEMBER5 - Annual Meeting and

Memorial Service Ocala Elks Cost: $16 6:00 P.M., Cocktails (cash bar) 6:30 P.M., Dinner

Reservation by Nov. 2 10 - KOS Board Meeting 12:30 P.M., Ocala Elks

SEPTEMBER3 - KOS Luncheon at

Ocala Elks Cost: $14 12 Noon, Cocktails (cash bar) 12:30 P.M., Lunch Menu: Tossed salad, pot roast,

potatoes, carrots and chef’s choice of dessert

Speaker: George Tomyn, Supt. of Schools will talk about education and JROTC in Marion County.Reservation by Aug. 31

8 - KOS Board Meeting

12:30 P.M., Ocala Elks

Reservations: Bob Schlegel (352) 512-0890, RFSCHLEGEL,45@cox.net

OPM DATA BREACH IS MORE EXTENSIVE THAN INITIALLY REPORTED

The scope of the data breach at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) went well beyond numbers initially reported. OPM originally thought the cyberattack was limited to 4.2 million records. Upon further scrutiny, investigators concluded that the number of records compromised is closer to 21.5 million. Individuals affected include past and present federal and military employees, as well as any applicants that applied for a clearance since 2000. Information compromised in the breach includes Social Security numbers, fingerprints, and residency, educational, family, financial, health, employment history. OPM’s website details the next steps it will take in notifying those affected by the data breach. OPM sent notifications by mail informing people of the services available. These services will be available for at least three years:

Full service identity restoration support and victim recovery assistance Identity theft insurance Identity monitoring for minor children Continuous credit monitoring Fraud monitoring services beyond credit files

Several lawmakers on Capitol Hill called for terminating OPM Director Katherine Archuleta. After the intense backlash, she tendered her resignation on July 10. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said, “The breadth of the data breach at the Office of Personnel Management is staggering and unacceptable. We also have an obligation to ensure that those who serve the Department, in or out of uniform, are able to do so securely.” The Senate now needs to appoint someone capable of handling a crisis of this magnitude and restore faith with the American people that their personal information is secure.

MOAA calls on Congress and the administration to complete a thorough investigation into the data breach, and to implement necessary action to prevent further incidents like these from occurring.