Minutes



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“Never Stop Serving”

Arkansas Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)

Council of Chapters (COC)

P.O. Box 180755

Fort Smith, Arkansas 72918

Minutes of the Arkansas MOAA Council of Chapters (COC) Meeting, 26 January 2019

The quarterly Arkansas MOAA Council of Chapters (COC) meeting was held Mike’s Place, 808 Front St, Conway, AR on 26 January 2019 at 1100 hours. 6 of the 10 Arkansas MOAA Chapters were represented.

Call to order. President Winston Fulmer called the meeting to order and welcomed those present. Secretary John Posey verified a quorum was present. Chapters present were Central Ark, NW Ark, River Valley, SE Ark, NE Ark & Darby. Chapters absent were Seven Springs, North Ark, Hot Springs Village & Bella Vista.

Invocation. COC Chaplain Sam Sansom gave the invocation.

Pledge of Allegiance. COC 1VP Joy Leapheart led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Round Robin Introductions. Winston went around the room asking all to introduce themselves and which Chapter they represented. The following is a synopsis of the meeting.

President’s Remarks. Winston thanked Immediate Past CofC Pres Dave Beranek for his service & asked all for prayers for Dave’s health. He announced that the Seven Springs Chapter had recently voted to dissolve their Chapter due to dwindling membership & read Chapter Pres Jake Jacobson’s letter to the council. Winston mentioned that due to council officer turnover we had gotten a bit behind on business such as elections & council bylaws revision & draft of a council strategic plan so we will do a ‘reset’. With Dave’s resignation Winston took over as council Pres eff 20Aug18. With CofC Treasurer Bobby Rush’s passing Sam Samson took over as Treas eff 9Aug18. Council officer elections that were scheduled for Oct 2018 were postponed until today’s meeting. Council by laws amendment & draft strategic plan are tabled until the Apr 2019 Mtg.

ACTION: John Posey to assist Seven Springs with the MOAA Nat’l chapter closing checklist.

Council Elections for 2019-2020. Winston called for nominations from the floor for CofC Sec, there were none.

MOTION was made by Don Berry to re-elect John Posey as Sec, second by Sam Sansom, CARRIED.

Winston called for nominations from the floor for CofC Treas, there were none.

MOTION was made by Don Berry to re-elect Sam Sansom as Treas, seconded by James House, CARRIED.

MOTION was made by Sam Sansom to elect Don Berry as CofC 2VP. Winston did not call the question on this motion & tabled it until the April 2019 Mtg in order to give the Chapter Presidents time to see if there is any interest in their Chapters.

ACTION: John is to send out a call to all Chapters to see if there are any candidates for the council 2VP position.

Proposed CofC Meeting Dates for 2019.

27Apr19, Mike’s Place, Conway: Proposed amendment to council by laws & draft strategic plan

27Jul19, possible off site meeting?

19Oct19, Mike’s Place, Conway, MOAA Nat’l visit?

Joy Leapheart suggested we meet at the LakePoint Conf Center in Russellville in July? Richard Hartness suggested the council meet at the new state Veteran cemetery at Birdeye? James House asked if the council could meet at SE Ark Chapter in Oct & plan a MOAA Nat’l chapter recruiting (rescue) event? Don Berry suggested we look at establishing new chapters at Arkadelphia/Malvern and/or The Camden/El Dorado/Magnolia area?

MOTION by Sam Sansom for the CofC to meet 27Jul19 at the LakePoint Conf Center in Russellville, hosted by the River Valley Chapter, seconded by Don Berry, CARRIED.

Winston said we would plan a recruiting Mtg/MOAA Nat’l visit & meeting at the SE Ark Chapter in Oct 2019 - or we could do it Sep or Nov if need be?

Chapter Reports.

NE Ark - Richard Hartness. The chapter awarded $3k in ROTC/JROTC scholarships, awarded to student attending any college. The grant they received for Veteran service dog training is nearing completion. Recruiting/retention of members still a challenge.

NW Ark - Sam Sansom. Chapter Pres Buster McCall couldn’t be here. They have 6 new members. He urges all to use our CofC or the MOAA-sponsored website. The chapter has made its submission for the MOAA Harris Communication Award & are awaiting LOE submission guidance. They have conducted US flag training for 4,000 students in Washington County & the county judge has helped with the cost of flag lapel pins. John Posey suggested that stick on fabric or paper stickers are cheaper & the teachers in our area prefer these for safety reasons.

SE Ark - James House. We have awarded our scholarship & recruiting remains a challenge.

Seven Springs - no report.

Bella Vista - no report.

River Valley - Steve Hughes. They have ran into some resistance to flag training from the Russellville schools. Dover has agreed but no others yet. They have 4 new members but received no applicants for their 2018 scholarship.

Central Ark - Don Berry is the new chapter Pres, Dave Beranek is now chapter Sec & they are in the process of revising their chapter by laws.

Darby - John Posey for new chapter Pres Jesse Lewis. UAFS awarded this year’s Darby MOAA $1,000 scholarship to MS IV Cadet Jon Jones. We awarded our Distinguished Patriotic Achievement Award to Tollie Adkins, Capt (Ret), USAF in Dec. Tollie is a decorated Vietnam War helicopter pilot who received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart & Bronze Star. Will have the Pres of the US Marshall’s Museum as Feb speaker & are working with our local Western Ark Veterans Coalition on expansion of the Ft Smith Nat’l Cemetery. Membership is holding but not growing. Also we all need to congratulate our MOAA members inducted into the Ark Military Veterans Hall of Fame last Oct (Winston Fulmer, Anita Deason, Steve Gray among others).

Bella Vista – Dr Mike Moravits, Chapter Pres. Absent.

North Ark – Frank Dell, Chapter Pres. Absent but Chapter represented by Harlie Treat.

Hot Springs Village – Harv Shelton, Chapter Pres. Absent.

Seven Springs – Jake Jacobson, Chapter Pres. Absent.

ROTC/JROTC Leadership Development Committee Update. Joy Leapheart reported that May ROTC commissioning are approaching as well as JROTC awards banquets & all chapters need to submit their needs to her for gold bars sets, MOAA Cadet Medals & certificates. Also on the online store Nat’l has made it where you have to buy a “set” - can no longer buy separate Award items - at a higher cost. ‘Arkansas Living’ magazine has ads touting the Veteran-friendly climate in the state, specifically the state income tax exemption on Military Retired pay. You can get copies by contacting scc@.

ACTION: All chapters submit their ROTC/JROTC Award needs to Joy ASAP (gold bar sets, JROTC & ROTC medals, certificates, etc).

ACTION: CofC Pres Winston Fulmer contact MOAA Nat’l to see if they will once again separate individual ROTC/JROTC medal, award & certificate items to save chapters $?

MOTION by Sam Sansom for the council to reimburse Joy Leapheart for all ROTC/JROTC Award expenses incurred to support the chapters, seconded by James House, CARRIED.

There was discussion by Don Berry that maybe we could partner with the Nat’l Guard Assoc (NGAA) on developing our own Arkansas ROTC/JROTC awards? One possible problem might be the authorization to wear such a medal on their uniform?

ACTION: Joy Leapheart contact the Ark Nat’l Guard to see how many their Officer Candidate School commissions & if MOAA awards can be presented at their ceremonies?

Senator Boozman Update. Anita Deason asked all to invite your elected officials to your chapter events as well as ‘MOAA Storming the Hill’ activities. We need to showcase Veteran owned businesses. Some local chambers of Commerce are hosting Vet owned business seminars (Clarksville & Fordyce for example). All need to have Veteran histories recorded for the Library of Congress project. On 9 Mar 19 there is a VA Veteran Legacy Program premier showing at the Walnut Ridge Air Museum. They are working to integrate this program with the Library of Congress Veteran History Project for continuity. 3 WWII & 2 Korean War Servicemen remains have been returned to Ark by the DoD POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Dir Dr Thomas Holland is retiring from this agency after 30 years & is settling in Ft Smith. Don asked if there is any legislation that requires DoD to notify the state Gov’s when they are returning remains? Anita thinks it only requires them to attempt to notifying remaining next of kin? They are asking for MOAA’s help with some PR issues in Mt Home. Some very vocal Veterans there are protesting their local VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) & the local news media there are running it in their news cycle. The main complaint seems to be their drive to LR for care that exceeds their CBOC. Mt Home is at the farthest reach of the VA Central Ark Health System even though stats show that the Mt Home CBOC routinely performs procedures that should go to LR in attempt to save the Veteran a drive to LR. Compounding the problem is the fact that Baxter county has the highest Suicide rate in Arkansas! The VA Mission Act slated for Jun 2019 should help by allowing Vets to get care at closer VA hospitals. However the Veterans there are saying that their CBOC has no medical capabilities which is untrue. According to VA stats in 2018 over 5400 procedures were performed at the Mt Home CBOC that should have come to LR. The PAO of the LR VA health system has tried to correct these inaccurate news stories in a Mt Home to no avail.

ACTION: John Posey send Anita contact info for Harlie Treat & Frank Dell with the North Ark MOAA Chapter to see if they can help with the Mt Home VA PR issue?

ACTION: John Posey get contact info from Anita for Dr Holland, invite him to join Darby chapter & possible keynote speaker in the future?

ACTION: Winston contact MOAA, make sure they invite all of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation to 2019 Storming the Hill events.

Ark Veterans Coalition (AVC) Update: Don Berry handed out the 2019 AVC Military/Veteran Issues for the General Assembly.

Act 66 eases the requirement to get the ‘Veteran’ stamp on Ark drivers license. Formerly you must have a DD214 but now DFA is required to accept other forms of proof like NGB Form 22, DD Form 256/257 or a VA ID card.

HB1119 waiver the statutory residency requirements for military spouses to be certified as a Notary Public. They expect the Gov to sign it.

SB54 amends the current age limit of 35 years old for fire department applicants. This eliminates virtually all otherwise qualified military retirees. They expect the Gov to sign it.

The Leg Veterans Caucus is drafting legislation to amend the qualifications for a Gold Star license plate. It is currently limited to active duty servicemen killed in a combat zone. They will attempt to include servicemen of other components (Nat’l, Reserves, etc) killed performing military duties, even if its during training & not combat. The thought process is all deaths in service of our Nat’l defense are deserving of equal recognition.

The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity passed in 2013 isn’t being implemented by the state agency. Many school-aged children of military servicemen that have to transfer schools, many times from out of state, are still being delayed with their grades & transcripts not been by seamlessly transferred resulting in them not being eligible for extracurricular activities & delayed grade advancement, etc.

HB1119 waives the state residency requirement for an spouse of a serviceman to be able to become a notary public. They expect the Gov to sign it.

HB1012 would make the spouse of a deceased Purple Recipient eligible to keep the MOPH license tag. The AVC is opposed to this.

SB4 would establish an Ark Legislative Veterans Affairs Task Force to study Veteran suicide rates & recommend resources to address them.

SB396 would make Purple Heart recipients & those with a 70% or greater VA disability rating eligible for lifetime Ark Game & Fish Commission hunting & fishing license.

The AVC has tabled until Apr 2019 the proposed name change to the ‘Ark Military & Veterans Coalition’.

Treasurers Report: Sam Sansom reported that we have a current balance in the bank of $2,656.86.

The council’s net income from chapter dues is approximately $160 per year. Sam has everything ready to submit for the CofC’s 501(c)(19) Veteran Service Organization non profit incorporation. It just takes a $600 IRS filing fee. Sam also encouraged all to still file an Ark state income tax return even if you own no state income taxes on your Military Retired pay. 2019 Chapter dues of $1 per chapter member are due to the council by 1 March 2019 & can be mailed to Sam’s address.

Sam brought up the issue of authorizing John Posey to renew our Weebly website for 3 years instead of 1 to save up money. He asked Winston to table this until the April 2019 meeting, TABLED.

Surviving spouses are MOAA-eligible but must call MOAA, pay yearly or lifetime dues & provide a Service Copy of their deceased’s DD214 to get issued a new MOAA member number.

MOTION by Don Berry to authorize Sam to spend the $600 to file for the council 501(c)(19) non profit status, seconded by James House, CARRIED.

MOTION by Don Berry to accept the Treasurer’s report, seconded by James House, CARRIED.

Secretary Report: John Posey reported that updated chapter leadership rosters for 2019 are due to MOAA Nat’l & they must be uploaded at . Request each chapter send me an updated list of chapter leadership. Also chapters let me know who within your chapter to add or delete from the council distribution list. Look on for criteria for MOAA awards as the deadlines are approaching.

Website Update: John reported that the website had 343 unique visitors & 538 page views this week.

Old Business. Suspended in the interest of time.

New Business. Suspended in the interest of time.

Next Meeting. The next meeting will be back at Mike’s Place, 808 Front Street in Conway on 27 April 2019 at 11:00 AM. For planning purposes the meeting after that is tentatively set for 27 July 2019. Winston reminded all that the following items of business that were tabled would be taken up at the April 2019 meeting:

2VP Officer Election.

Council Strategic Planning Committee Report,

Draft Amendment to the Council By Laws.

Draft Council Strategic Plan.

Benediction. Sam gave the benediction.

MOTION by Steve Hughes to adjourn, seconded by Joy Leapheart, CARRIED.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 2:30 PM.

Point of Contact for these minutes is the undersigned at (479) 650-5663 or jposey10@.

John B. Posey

John B. Posey

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired)

US Army

Secretary, Arkansas MOAA Council of Chapters

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