28 FRA Mourns Passing of PNP George W. Brown

30 Shipmate Fred Winter, 100, Sets Records

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Volume 94 Number 10

Featured18 NAVY WAVES

Without a doubt, women are charting new courses in today’s military — serving in billets previously restricted to males. Navy WAVES were among the first females to serve during World War II and, although their original pur-pose was to free men for overseas combat duty, they changed the way the Navy and the country viewed women. And they also changed how they viewed themselves.

Departments 2 COMMUNICATIONS

4 FROM THE FANTAIL Recruit or Retain?

6 SHIPMATE FORUM

8 ON & OFF CAPITOL HILLFate of FY 2016 NDAA Still Uncertain

16 MEMBERSHIP MATTERSProfiles in Outreach

26 USPS STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

28 FRA MOURNS THE PASSING OF PNP GEORGE W. BROWN

29 TAPS

30 SHIPMATE PROFILEShipmate Fred Winter, 100, Sets Records at National Senior Games

32 LOOKING FOR… / REUNIONS

34 NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES

36 NEWS FROM THE AUXILIARY OF THE FRAMessage from West Coast Regional President-Elect Mary Ann Frank

ON THE COVERWhen the U.S. Navy established the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program in WWII, it opened the doors for women to directly join the war effort. Their contributions also paved the way for future female servicemembers.

FRA IS A CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR CURRENT AND FORMER ENLISTED MEMBERS OF THE U.S. NAVY, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD ON CAPITOL HILL. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE VISIT WWW.FRA.ORG OR CALL 800-FRA-1924.

LOYALTY, PROTECTION AND SERVICE

October 2015

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FRA wishes the U.S. Navy a Happy 240th Birthday!

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COMMUNICATIONS

Lauren Armstrong

NATIONAL OFFICERS/BOARD OF DIRECTORS

National President John D. Ippert, Honolulu Branch 46

National Vice President Virgil P. Courneya, High Sierra Branch 274

National Executive Dir. Thomas J. Snee, Navy Department Branch 181

Finance Officer Stephen R. Cox

Junior PNP Mark Kilgore, Pensacola Branch 22

National Parliamentarian PNP J. C. “Jim” Eblen, Imperial Beach

Branch 289

National Chaplain William H. Hall, GEM State Branch 382

REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

Northeast / New England Floyd G. Hunt, Iroquois Branch 214

East Coast John J. Willis, Ocean View Branch 60

Southeast Larry L. Cox, Low Country Branch 269

North Central Curry Sanders, Mo Kan Branch 161

South Central Michael D. Oliver, Old Naval Home

Branch 307

Southwest Agustive A. Hermes, Jr., Chula Vista Branch 61

West Coast Larry S. Briggs, Jr., Silver Dollar Branch 192

Northwest Michael H. Archer, Cheyenne Branch 59

ACTIVE DUTY ADVISORY COUNCIL

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Michael Stevens

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Steven Cantrell

RESERVE ADVISORY COUNCIL

Force Master Chief of the Navy Reserve Clarence “CJ” Mitchell

USMC Reserve Force Sergeant Major Anthony Spadaro

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Reserve Force

Eric Johnson

FRA TODAY MAGAZINEThe monthly membership publication of the Fleet Reserve Association

Publisher Fleet Reserve Association

National Executive Director Thomas J. Snee

Communications Director Lauren Armstrong

Managing Editor William Kohudic

Contributing Photographer Paul Gunther

Design and Art Direction

FIREBRAND, Alexandria, VA www.firebrandstudios.com

Design Director Scott Rodgerson

Production Manager Sandy Jones

FRA TODAY (ISSN 1935-7192) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754. A MEMBER’S SUBSCRIPTION IS COVERED BY THE MEMBER’S ANNUAL DUES. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ALEXANDRIA, VA AND ADDITIONAL OFFICES. PUBLICATION OF NON-SPONSORED ADVERTISING IN FRA TODAY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE FRA OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: MEMBER SERVICES, FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754. FRA TODAY IS PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL CURRENT AND FORMER ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE U.S. NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AND COAST GUARD. ELIGIBLE NON-MEMBERS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO SUBSCRIPTION RATES. ESTABLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 1923. TITLE REGISTERED WITH U.S. PATENT OFFICE.

FRA ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS: 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754 • PHONE: 703-683-1400, 800-FRA-1924 •

FAX: 703-549-6610 • E-MAIL: FRATODAY@FRA.ORG • WWW.FRA.ORG

VOLUME 94 NUMBER 10

Lauren Armstrong is FRA’s Director of Communications and serves as the Managing Editor of FRA Today. Please contact her at lauren@fra.org.

WrinklesAS MANY OF YOU have hopefully noticed, the FRA website looks differ-ent! It has a cleaner look and more user-friendly interface, and is also more compatible with mobile devices (phones and tablets). Some of the changes to the site are merely cosmetic, but there are portions of the site that may not be where you’re used to looking for them. I encourage all shipmates to “poke around” and get familiar with the new site, but if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, call National Headquarters and we’ll do our best to help.

And, as is often the case with such upgrades, we’ve had a few hic-cups. We appreciate the shipmates who’ve called or e-mailed to let us know when some critical bit of information was lost in the transition. We understand how frustrating such glitches are and appreciate our members’ patience as our IT staff works diligently to resolve snafus as they come to light.

Such a broad update isn’t as simple as it may seem. In addition to upgrading our website, we’ve also updated our network servers and our database management system — upgrades that were long overdue. All of these functions are interrelated, and it’s critical to ensure that each component works seamlessly with the others. There innumerable steps and processes impacted by these upgrades and a single glitch with one process can create a domino effect on the others. For example, when you renew your FRA membership online, there are multiple actions that must take place. First, you have to have access to your account through the website and be able to provide the necessary information and make a payment. This data must be stored in our membership database, the pay-ment must be processed through our banking system and then the com-pleted transaction must be accurately annotated in your personal record. This, in turn, determines when you’ll receive your next renewal notice. If any one step in this automated process is amiss, the whole transac-tion gets derailed. Multiply these interrelated steps times every online re-union posting, new membership application, interaction with our online Action Center, address change, NewsBytes subscription request, etc., and you can see how complicated such an upgrade can become.

We appreciate your patience through this process and we’re opti-mistic that the wrinkles will be ironed out by the time you read this issue of FRA Today.

Congratulations, Shipmates!Thanks to loyal shipmates around the world, the FRA Membership Album Project (coordinated through Harris Connect) has been a huge success! More than 28,800 shipmates responded to the announcement about the album program online or by phone. Our members purchased nearly 11,000 books or CDs and the campaign brought 545 previous members back into the Association. The books or CDs will be shipped by regular mail on October 30, 2015. When you re-ceive the product, please send an email with your comments to penny@FRA.org.

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Recruit or Retain?MEMBERSHIP IS KEY TO any organi-zation, whether civilian or military. Military and civilian career counsel-ors/advisors and human resource pro-fessionals work to maintain a delicate balance between bringing in new per-sonnel and retaining the manpower they have. Organizations’ member-ship needs vary and their “force management” strategies are different. Comparing ourselves to other associa-tions’ or organizations’ membership numbers is like comparing apples to oranges; we are who we are and need to build our membership to our own experience and “brand.” Recruitment builds for the future, while retention focuses on experienced members who are already involved.

Manning in our military depends on the leadership and experience of the upper echelons, and FRA operates on a similar principle. Draw-downs on any given platform affect overall manning, especially when there are cuts in “goods and services” that affect the family stability. Local jurisdictions always brace for the future when Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) lists are released. The economic im-pact of reduction in numbers is a major concern in any community, especially with regard to jobs, taxes, and of course school enrollments. Membership in FRA, on a smaller scale, also has an impact, especially when much good has been done by a local branch or by the organiza-tion as a whole, i.e., our Americanism Essay Contests, Education Foundation scholarships, community events and gatherings, etc.

To manage the FRA force, should we recruit more, or try to retain what we have? The simple answer is that we must do both. We must recruit new members who can serve as branch, regional and national leaders in the future. We must also do everything we can to retain our current members. We cannot control “involuntary ter-minations” (deaths) of our members,

but we can have an impact on ship-mates who elect to discontinue their FRA affiliation. When more members leave an organization (because of non-payment of dues) than it is recruiting, the balance of “goods and services” is swayed.

I remember how, back in my days in Recruiting Command in Memphis, city leaders always appreciated

military folks taking charge, because we had the planning skills, the know-how and the will to accept challenges, and somehow turn a grim situation around to make it a huge success.

Shipmates, that describes us; we can make it happen in our commu-nities. It starts with conversation (“Where did you serve?”) and telling people what we do. The work of get-ting things done here in Washington can be difficult and trying, but if action is taken at the local level with the same willpower and strength of purpose that infuses our work on the Hill, our efforts in each area will work to our benefit. Our goal must be to seek bal-ance and turn this draw-down around. Given our military backgrounds and our “grassroots” drive, we can and will make it happen.

This is October; leaves are falling and temperatures are dropping. Invite shipmates back into our meeting halls. Remember why you joined FRA. Work to create meaningful events that people will remember. Sponsor com-munity activities; Halloween parties are always great for kids and adults, and Thanksgiving offers countless ways for your branch to make a dif-ference in peoples’ lives. Get that list of shipmates whose memberships are about to end from your branch sec-retary and call those who have fallen away. Yes, call them!

Let’s jump on the circuit to bring back our lost members, find new mem-bers, and collectively “show them” what FRA is all about. Membership equals “retention PLUS recruitment”; nothing else. DO IT. And PRESS ON!

FROM THE FANTAIL

Tom Snee

Tom Snee is FRA’s National Executive Director and can be reached at NEDFRA@fra.org.

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Scholarship Hearts and DartsI would like to write, first of all, to thank you for your continued support and contributions toward the futures of American high school graduates. I am both grateful and honored to have been chosen as a recipient of your $5,000 scholarship award. I cannot even begin to explain the positive impact this has on my family and me. You have made a difference in my life and, for that, I am incredibly thankful.

Blake Smith

My husband, Irl “Spider” Meade, caught the typo [on the cover of the September issue of FRA Today] that referenced the scholarship recipients of 2105 instead of 2015. You had a similar typo from last year. Just thought you’d like to know it was incorrect.

Nadine Meade

FRA Response: As much as we try to avoid errors, particular-ly repeated ones, we obviously fall short sometimes. We’d also like to apologize for the incorrect amount of the Treadwell scholarship amount, referenced on page 28. It should be $5,000, not $53,000!

AsbestosisA lot of sailors and Marines die from asbestos-related ill-ness each year, and I have never seen you guys go to bat for them. The VA and the government will not pay. I’ve had asbestosis since 2010 from combat in Korea in 1950 aboard the USS Manchester (CL 83). The VA has turned me down five times! How sad.

James O. Wilson

FRA Response: The likelihood of developing asbestosis, me-sothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases is known to be higher for veterans who served in certain military ratings and MOSs. For veterans who develop these diseases there are two channels through which they can seek compensation. You’ve obviously pursued one option — applying to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for disability compensation. The VA decides these claims on a case-by-case basis and it’s possible that an appeal is in order. Many veteran’s service organiza-tions, like FRA, can help veterans and their surviving spouses navigate the claims and appeal processes. The other option is to pursue a claim through legal channels by seeking com-pensation from the manufacturers of the asbestos-containing products that you may have encountered during your military service. There are law firms that specialize in asbestos-related

claims, two of which have advertisements in this issue of FRA Today. (See the inside and outside of the back cover.)

For more information visit www.publichealth.va.gov/ exposures/asbestos/index.asp or contact Chris Slawinski, FRA’s national veterans service director at vafra@fra.org or 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 115

Blue Water Veterans Bill Needs CosponsorsWhat [Shipmate Bury says about “Blue Water” veterans, August FRA Today] has everything to do with a congres-sional mandate that forced the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, at the time, to fund a pet entitlement project on our backs. Ironically, these funds sit mostly idle in a [Department of Veterans Affairs] account today, be-cause the designated beneficiaries are mostly unable to qualify for the subject entitlement.

Each and every member of my state’s congressional del-egation has signed up as cosponsors of the subject bills.

Please check the congressional record to determine how many members of your state’s congressional delegation have followed the example set by mine; then, ask your branch president to send a message urging those who are not yet on board to get with the program NOW. Your branch presi-dent can then, with great pride, urge his in-state counter-part branch presidents to endorse his message to each of their non-conforming congressional delegates. This is the essence of grassroots patriotism.

Dennis Egge

FRA Response: Thank you, Shipmate Egge. You’re spot-on. Grassroots advocacy is what FRA is all about, and we encour-age all FRA members to get involved, not just branch presi-dents. You can contact your elected officials easily by visiting FRA’s online Action Center at action.fra.org/action-center. Shipmates without Internet access can request a free copy of “How to Communicate with your Elected Officials” by call-ing 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 108 or sending a written request to FRA National Headquarters, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314. This useful guide explains how to send letters to Capitol Hill.

SHIPMATE FORUM

Submissions Send Shipmate Forum letters to Editor, FRA Today, 125 N. West St. Alexandria, VA 22314. E-mail submissions may be sent to fratoday@fra.org. Please include “Shipmate Forum” in the subject line. FRA reserves the right to select and edit letters for publication. Letters published in Shipmate Forum reflect the opinions and views of FRA members. They do not necessarily reflect the official position of FRA as a whole. FRA is not responsible for the accuracy of letter content.

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Communicate with Your Elected OfficialsIn order to help shipmates communicate with elected officials in support of FRA-led initiatives, the Association publishes a guidebook, Communicate with your Elected Officials, which contains information for contacting your lawmakers by phone, mail, fax or e-mail. It also includes guide-lines and suggestions for composing, addressing and sending correspondence.

Printed with the generous support of GEICO, the handbook is an adjunct to the FRA Action Center (action.fra.org/action-center) and is part of FRA’s ongoing campaign to encourage citi-zens to be active participants in the legislative process.

To receive your free copy of Communicate with your Elected Officials, contact FRA at 1-800-FRA-1924 (ext. 108) or e-mail your request (and mailing address) to Victoria Duran at VictoriaD@fra.org. Written requests may be sent to Fleet Reserve Association, Attn: Communicate, 125 N West Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2754.

John Davis

AS FRA TODAY GOES to press, it appears that House and Senate conferees are still deadlocked over various key dif-ferences between the House and Senate versions of the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA – S. 1376/H.R. 1735). Legislative staff indicates that pharmacy co-pay increases (see story below), cuts to stateside com-missary benefits, the size of the annual active-duty pay increase, and whether or not to cut Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) benefits are still among the unresolved is-sues. The FRA Legislative Team has closely tracked these developments and FRA continues to provide multiple op-portunities for members to weigh in on a variety of issues impacting pay and earned benefits by using FRA’s online Action Center at action.fra.org/action-center

Even if the House and Senate agree on specific provi-sions, the fate of the NDAA still remains unclear. Both

versions sidestep sequestration spending limits (auto-matic budget cuts) on the Defense budget by shifting an extra $38 billion into the emergency war fund, which is not included as part the general DoD budget. These extra Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds, howev-er, will be used for regular Defense operations. President Obama issued a veto threat unless additional funding is made available for non-defense programs limited by se-questration. FRA supports exempting the Defense budget from sequestration spending caps.

All of the NDAA issues mentioned above are listed on the Action Center and shipmates can share their views on these subjects until the legislation has passed. Members are strongly urged to check the Action Center (action.fra.org/action-center) regularly for pending legislative issues that impact their pay and benefits.

Fate of FY 2016 NDAA Still Uncertain

Reconstructing Lost Military RecordsThe blaze that ripped through the National Personnel Records Center in a St. Louis suburb shortly after midnight on July 12, 1973, consumed 16 to 18 million official mili-tary personnel files in the days before computers kept such records safe. Few could have predicted the harm it would visit on the veterans who were denied VA benefits—some to this day—because they could not reconstruct their military service files.

Veterans whose records have been lost can fill out a spe-cific form at the National Archives website (http://www.

archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/na-13055-in-fo-2-reconstruct-medical-data.pdf) that authorizes the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) to search for other types of documents that would assist the veteran with their VA healthcare access or compensation claim, or for valuable research their family member’s service history.

For more information, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website for veterans whose records were destroyed: www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/NPRC1973Fire.asp. or call 1-800-827-1000.

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NDAA Showdown on Pharmacy Co-pay Increases

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) recently met with his House counterpart Rep. Mac Thornberry (Texas) in a final face-to-face effort to find common ground on the FY 2016 Defense Authorization (NDAA) bill. As FRA Today goes to press, the two chambers have been unable to resolve differences in the competing versions of the bill (H.R. 1735/ S. 1376) and one of the main sticking points is the Senate’s proposal to increase pharmacy co-payments.

Thornberry provided his committee members with a memo saying the House would accept 30 percent of the Senate’s proposed increases, saying, “The House is willing to consider modest TRICARE co-pay adjustments, but only enough to prevent a point of order on the Senate floor related to the retirement system. They would be roughly 30 percent of the Senate proposal. The House is unwilling to accept 100 percent of proposed increases.”

FRA opposes any additional pharmacy co-pay increases and this issue will be listed on the FRA Action Center (action.fra.org/action-center) until a final vote on the legislation occurs.

Social Security Pay Bump for Active Duty Time

Since 1957, if you had military service earnings for active duty service (including active duty for training), you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces Reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security. Under certain circumstances, special extra earnings for your military service from 1957 through 2001 can also be credited to your record for Social Security purposes. These extra-earning credits may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit. It’s important to understand that special extra earnings credits were granted for peri-ods of active duty or active duty for training, but not for inactive duty training.

Here’s how the special extra earnings are credited on your record:

Service in 1957 Through 1977

You are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.

Service in 1978 through 2001

For every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, and didn’t complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings. Check with Social Security for details; 1-800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of hear-ing, call the TTY number, 1-800-325-0778).

If your active military service occurred:

• From 1957 through 1967, the Social Security Administration will add the extra credits to your record when you apply for Social Security benefits.

• From 1968 through 2001, you do not need to do anything to receive these extra credits. The credits were automatically added to your record.

• After 2001, there are no special extra earnings credits for military service. (In January 2002, Public Law 107-117 discontinued the special extra earnings that had been credited to military service personnel. Military service in calendar year 2002 and subsequent years no longer qualifies for these special extra earnings credits.)

RETIREE ISSUES

TRICARE Enrollees Must Refill Certain Drugs Through Mail or at MTFs

Beginning October 1, 2015, TRICARE benefi-ciaries will be required to obtain refills for cer-tain drug prescriptions through the mail or at military treatment facilities (MTFs), according to a provisional rule set by the Department of Defense (DoD). The new policy will only af-fect refills of non-generic prescription drugs that people take on a regular daily basis for chronic conditions, such as high blood pres-sure and cholesterol control; it does not per-tain to medications for unexpected infections or illnesses. This new provision, which has been set forth by the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), seeks to save money for the DoD and for TRICARE enroll-ees by avoiding the higher co-payments as-sociated with many prescription medications in retail pharmacies. DoD estimates that this new change will save the federal government $88 million per year, while saving TRICARE beneficiaries about $16.5 million per year due to lower co-payments.

By obtaining pharmaceutical drugs through the mail, TRICARE beneficiaries will be able to save an average of $44 on a 90-day sup-ply of brand-name drugs; a 90-day supply of non-generic drugs through the mail is $16 versus a 30-day supply in retail pharmacies for $20. Moreover, there are no co-payments for drugs that are attained at military treat-ment facilities. On average, the government pays 32 percent less for brand-name mainte-nance medication prescriptions filled through the mail order program and through military treatment facility pharmacies compared to those filled through the retail program.

Photo by Sandy Jones

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President Cuts Annual Active Duty Pay IncreasePresident Obama recently sent a letter to House and Senate leaders notifying them that he will cap military pay raises at 1.3 percent next year as a way to reduce Defense spending. In the letter, he called the reduction “unfortunate, but necessary.” The president noted that adminis-tration officials do not believe the smaller pay increase (1.3 percent vs. 2.3 percent) will hinder recruitment and retention.

If it stands, the 1.3 percent raise will be the third consecutive year that pay increases have fallen fall short of estimated private-sector wage growth, and will widen the gap between military and civilian salaries. For an E-4 with three years of service, the difference between the two potential pay raises would total about $268 a year. A 1.3-percent raise would follow in the wake of 1-percent raises in both 2014 and 2015; the lowest annual military pay increases in the all-volunteer era that began in 1973.

As FRA Today goes to press, the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA-H.R. 1735) provides a 2.3 percent pay raise for troops—equal to a private-sector pay increase—but the Senate version (S. 1376) accepted the Administration’s request for a lower 1.3-percent hike. FRA is urging legislators reconciling differences between the two bills to ac-cept the House increase and to suspend the President’s authority to change the pay increase by regulation for one year.

As it has for the past 15 years, FRA continues to fight hard to get Congress to reduce the gap between private sector and military pay, and keep military pay raises at least in line with civilian pay growth. To give shipmates an opportunity to urge their legislators to support an adequate pay increase for our military, this issue will be listed on the FRA Action Center (action.fra.org/action-center) until the NDAA passes.

ACTIVE DUTY/RESERVE ISSUES

Avoid Urgent Care in Medical EmergenciesIf you are a TRICARE beneficiary and you have an emergency, make sure you go to an emergency room in order to ensure insur-ance will cover the cost. Use of urgent care coverage depends on your plan and, unlike emergency care, requires an official referral in order to be covered. Read more about urgent care coverage here: http://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/UrgentCare.aspx.

For advice, you can also call the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-874-2273, op-tion 1. When calling the Nurse Advice Line, you will talk with a registered nurse who can give you healthcare advice, help you find a doctor or schedule a next-day appointment at a military hospital or clinic.

There are even pediatric nurses who can assist you and will call you back to check on your child. For more information, visit the TRICARE Emergency Care website: http://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/EmergencyCare.aspx.

VETERANS ISSUES

President Signs Veterans’ Employment Bill as Unemployment Increases Among Younger VetsProvisions of the “Hire More Heroes Act” (HR 22) were recently signed into law. On the first day of the new session of the 114th Congress, the House unanimously passed the bill, sponsored by Rep. Rodney Davis (Ill.). The Senate Finance Committee later approved the measure without amend-ment and the measure became part of the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act (H.R. 3236). The employment provisions incentivize small businesses to hire veterans while at the same time providing them relief from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The bill exempts employees with health coverage under TRICARE or the Department of Veterans Affairs from determining if the employer is regulated by the ACA (30 or more employees who work 30 or more hours a week).

The overall unemployment rate for all Americans dropped to 5.3 percent in July 2015. The em-ployment rate for Post-9/11/01 veterans, however, increased in July by more than one percent to seven percent. The overall unemployment rate for veterans remained at 4.3 percent.

VA Achieves Major Milestone in Backlog Reduction

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

announced in late August that its disability

claims backlog has fallen below 100,000 for

the first time after reaching a historic high

two years ago. Allison Hickey, the VA under-

secretary for benefits, said the current back-

log of 98,535 claims (older than 125 days) is

the lowest since the agency started measur-

ing the claims backlog in 2007. The decrease

has not come at the expense of quality,

Hickey said. Accuracy of disability decisions

has improved from about 83 percent in 2011

to 91 percent today, she added. The gains

were achieved in part through use of manda-

tory overtime for employees in the benefits

division, a practice Hickey says officials hope

to stop in September.

Dave White speaks to Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Thomas Miranda, during a job fair at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

U.S. N

avy photo by MC

2 John Hetherington

Naval Services Veterans and Active Personnel Set to Get Free Survival Food.Farmers vow to keep up with the rush to supply all service members who call toll free and beat the deadline to claim up to four free 72-hour survival food kits.IN A CRISIS, YOUR NUMBER ONE NEED IS FOOD. But not just any food. What everyone needs is good-for-25-years survival food that you can rely on when the time comes that food is scarce.

Well, right now – in what is truly an unprecedented move – 72-hour survival food kits are being given away by Food4Patriots to readers of this publication, as long as they call a special toll-free hotline and beat the program deadline.

“This is all happening because we’re worried that some people in Washington may want to control more than just guns and ammo,” explained Frank Bates, a spokesman for the company. “We already know that some of those folks may want to take away our guns. What’s next?

It’s already been reported that there is an effort underway to determine how much survival food is currently available and exactly where it is stored. Truthfully, we don’t really know why this information is being gathered, but it’s got lot of folks pretty concerned. After all, you don’t ever want to rely on others to keep your family fed in a crisis.”

Experts say that everyone needs at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food on hand. So, to help ensure all personal have emergency food available when they need it, Food4Patriots is giving away up to four 72-hour survival food kits to any active or retired personnel who requests them.

Understand, this is real food and it’s ready in minutes. It not only tastes good, it’s good for you – unlike the MREs you’ve probably had. Plus, this food lasts for 25 years, far longer than MREs.

Each kit contains enough meals for three days. You’ll get four servings each of such familiar dishes as Liberty Bell Potato Cheddar Soup, Blue Ribbon Creamy Chicken Rice, Travelers Stew, and the always-loved Granny’s Homestyle Potato Soup.

The company’s usual price for the 72-hour kit is $27.00 plus shipping. But, through this special offer, personnel who act quickly can receive as many as four free kits and pay only a $9.95 shipping and handling fee for each kit claimed through this offer.

Bates pointed out that the foods in these kits are all packed in durable, re-sealable Mylar pouches that guarantee they’ll stay fresh and delicious for at least 25 years. Because the last thing you need is food that’s gone stale or is filled with bugs.

In an emergency, a 72-hour kit could actually save your life. In fact, many folks like to keep a kit in the trunk of their car – just in case.

“We’re trying to ensure none of these brave folks gets left out, but they have to hurry as we only have a limited supply of 72-hour kits we can give away,” Bates warned. “And the program will be ended no matter what at midnight, November 30, 2015.”

Retired and active personnel from all branches are rushing to claim up to four free 72-hour kits before the deadline.

How To Get Your Free 72-Hour Survival Food Kits:FOOD4PATRIOTS IS COMMITTED TO GIVING UP TO FOUR FREE 72-HOUR KITS to all personnel who call their toll-free hotline. However, the response to this survival food giveaway has been so great that additional agents had to be brought on to handle the volume of calls. As a result, the company’s free kit inventory is disappearing fast.

If you wish to claim up to four free 72-hour survival food kits, you must do so immediately. Simply call the toll-free hotline and give the agent the approval code shown below. Provide your delivery instructions and agree to pay the $9.95 shipping and handling fee for each kit claimed. It really is that easy.

Approval Code: 72FREE Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-599-6304 Deadline: 11/30/2015

Please note: Food4Patriots says they will continue to give away these 72-hour kits for as long as their supplies last. Unfortunately, due to media exposure, their phone lines may be busy when you call. �e company advises that if this happens, you should just keep calling and you will get through.Do you qualify? If you are an active or retired service member of one of the branches shown

above, then you qualify for up to four free 72-hour survival kits under the terms of this program.

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Rep. Walz Pushes to Extend Benefits for Agent OrangeSince the passing of the Agent Orange Act in 1991, scientists and medical professionals have come to better understand the toxic wounds of war and how many diseases are connected with exposure to the Agent Orange herbicide. The Agent Orange Act is set to expire at the end of September 2015 and, if it does, the VA would no longer be required to review the National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) final report, which is due for release in March of 2016. If the law expires, thousands of veterans may be denied their right to compensation.

Congressman Tim Walz (Minn.) recently introduced the “Agent Orange Extension Act,” (H.R. 3423), which will extend benefits from the Agent Orange Act for two years, giving the NAS enough time to finish its report and for the VA to review its findings.

Walz stated that it is imperative to make sure that Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange receive the compensation and care they deserve. “I think sometimes we forget, especially folks who are a little younger, how big that deal was in 1991 when we finally added Agent Orange as a cause of these diseases, and I just don’t want to let this slip away before we make sure we’ve covered it all.”

FRA is committed to seeing to that this extension legislation is enacted.

Shipmates Have Spoken on Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act FundingFRA hosted an online survey to determine whether our shipmates would support a proposal to fund the “Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act” (H.R. 969, S. 681). Congressional leaders are looking for a monetary offset to pay for the expanded coverage the bill would provide, and one suggestion would allow the VA to round down veterans’ disability compensation payments to the nearest dollar. For example, if you currently receive a check for $100.15, your payment would be rounded to $100, and the remaining $0.15 would be placed in a fund to pay for benefits for Blue Water Vietnam veterans affected by exposure to Agent Orange. (This “round down” was in place for several years, but full payment was restored at the end of FY 2013.)

More than 73 percent of survey respondents indicated they would be willing to round down their compensation checks to help blue water Vietnam veterans get the care they desperately need. The results of this survey will be shared with members of Congress and leaders at the VA, as well.

VA Patient Access Progress UpdateIn keeping with the commitment to improve transparency in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) processes, the VA recently released current patient access data and is highlighting notable access improvements, including:

1. The VA completed more than 61.5 million appointments between July 1, 2014 and July 31, 2015. This represents an increase of 2.36 million more appointments than were com-pleted during the same time period in 2013–2014.

2. VA created over 2.7 million authorizations for veterans to receive care in the private sec-tor between August 16, 2014 and August 15, 2015. This represents a 21-percent increase in authorizations compared to the period of August 2013 to August 2014.

3. VA completed 97 percent of appointments in July 2015 within 30 days of the clinically indicated or veteran’s preferred date; 92 percent within 14 days; 87 percent within 7 days; and 22 percent actually completed on the same day.

4. Between June 1, 2014, and August 15, 2015, the electronic wait list went from 56,000 appointments to 40,067, a 28-percent reduction.

For additional information on this report please go to: www.va.gov/health/access-audit.asp

VETERANS ISSUES

VA May Compensate for Illnesses Linked to Contaminated Water at LejeuneThe Department of Veterans Affairs an-nounced in early August that it will start a program that may permit some veterans to receive disability compensation if they fell ill from drinking contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. The VA already provides health care benefits for veterans and their family members who suffer from 15 illnesses related to exposure to contaminated drinking water, but it has not given broad “presumptive status” that would render them eligible for disability compensation. (Currently, only veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and suffer from one of three illnesses may receive disability compensation: kidney cancer, angiosarcoma of the liver and acute myleogenous leukemia.

The drinking water, which is presumed to affect more than 750,000 people on the Marine Corps base, was suspected to contain volatile organic compounds such as benzene and vinyl chloride. The Marine Corps first ac-knowledged the problem in 1985 when they found traces of toxins in their water, which is believed to be the result of illegal dumping by an off-base dry cleaner.

Further discussions between the VA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry regarding the establishment of “pre-sumptive status” for those affected began in mid-August. The VA will consider all public statements when determining the final scope of any presumptions. Veterans who believe they may have health problems related to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune may file a claim for disability com-pensation online at http://ebenefits.va.gov or by contacting their local VA office.

The FRA Legislative Team is National Executive Director Tom Snee, Director of Legislative Programs John Davis, Assistant Director of Legislative Programs Stephen Tassin, Assistant Director of Veterans’ Programs Ben Young and National Veterans Service Director Chris Slawinski.

Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worry-free and literally puts the world

at your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now, the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time

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FRA’s Education Foundation awards over $100,000

in scholarship funds each year to recipients based

on financial need, academic standing, character

and leadership qualities. Our scholarship program is

open to anyone who has an affiliation with the USN,

USMC or USCG, through their own service or that of a

spouse, parent or grandparent.

To learn more about the FRA Education Foundation

and our scholarships, visit www.fra.org/foundation

where you will find descriptions of each scholarship

program, lists of past winners and, starting in

September of each year, applications for the current

year’s programs. We encourage all eligible recipients

to apply for our scholarships and to share information

about them with others.

Questions? E-mail us at scholars@fra.org

or call 703-683-1400.

Educating our service members, veterans and their families.

Who needs money for college?

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125 N. West StreetAlexandria, VA 22314800-FRA-1924 • 703-683-1400scholars@fra.org

It’s not too early to prepare for the April 15th dealine!

Arresting beauty emerges from nature’s furyas Helenite explodes upon the jewelry world.

When Mount St. Helens erupted and shook WashingtonState to its core, an ash column rose to an altitude of

about 16 miles in less than 15 minutes with a vigorous emission of ash continuing for the next nine hours. Ultimately,an estimated 540 million tons of ash drifted up to 2,200square miles settling over seven states. You could say MountSt. Helens caused quite the stir.But it was a surprising find discovered in the aftermath of theeruption that had locals talking long after the volcanic dust settled. Workers using a gas torch while doing salvage workdiscovered that the heat of the torch was melting the volcanicash into a lustrous green substance. And there, amid the ancientashes created from a mountain that first erupted in 10,000 BCE,Helenite was born. The story got outand captured the attention of jewelersworldwide. It was a scramble to securethe magical ashfrom Mount St. Helens and perfectthe heating process to achieve brilliant green stones thatrival even the emerald in terms of color, refractive index andclarity. The world has never seen anything like Helenite.Now, you can own this newest addition to the fine jewelryscene. We’ve acquired the world’s finest quality Helenite andhad it cut and faceted by skilled craftsmen into a gorgeous pendant erupting with vibrant color and fire. This is green likeyou’ve never seen it. Breathe new life into your collection of fine jewels with our exquisite Helenite Phoenix Pendant. Expertly faceted, overfour carats of Helenite set in gleaming gold-finished .925 sterling silver. A customized laser cut makes this beauty evenmore exclusive.Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Experience the uniquebeauty of the Helenite Phoenix Pendant for 60 days and ifyou’re not completely in love with it, send it back for a refundof your sale price.

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Profiles in OutreachTHE LIFEBLOOD OF MEMBERSHIP is par-ticipation in community outreach programs. How many times have you heard the words, “What is the FRA?” Participating in events and forums within your local community is a great way to “show and tell” what FRA is all about. Some of our branches are already making headway in this en-deavor; here are their stories:

JrPNP Mark Kilgore and shipmates from Branch 22 (Pensacola, Fla.) re-cently partnered with the local Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA) chapter to include eight of their Chief-selectees in a branch improvement project. The future CPOs from various area tenant commands on board Naval Air Station Pensacola, accompanied by five CPOs, volunteered their Saturday to build a memorial brick walk in front of Branch 22’s new home. The walk is a beautification project and fundraiser with bricks engraved for a small dona-tion. The shipmates served lunch and presented the selectees with an infor-mal presentation on FRA’s history, ac-complishments, and current legislative agenda, as well as individual one-on-one discussions between the selectees and retired chiefs from the branch. The event garnered local TV coverage that included an interview with Branch 22 President Jim Richmond. The selectees will present the training session and

discussions to the rest of Class 122, FY-16 CPO Selectees, explaining the his-tory and mission of FRA. It is always a good thing to interact with active duty members as a way to recruit the next generation of FRA shipmates.

Shipmate John Quesnel from Branch 289 (Imperial Beach, Calif.) was interviewed on a local radio show called “Military Mondays!” Shipmate John taped the segment at the KCBQ studio on August 31st and was well prepared for the question-and-an-swer format as a result of his advance preparation. (The station allowed him to submit the questions he’d be asked, allowing Shipmate John to steer the interview toward promoting FRA and Branch 289’s work in the local area. John also secured assistance from the staff at National Headquarters to be sure he had the latest information about current legislative initiatives.) Bravo Zulu, Shipmate Q!

Other branches have also taken the plunge to participate in radio dis-cussions about the FRA, including shipmates from Branch 99 (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Branch 13 (Atlantic City, N.J.) who’ve taken to the air-waves to increase awareness of FRA.

Branch 290 (Mayport, Fla.) created a group amongst its members based on a common interest— riding mo-torcycles. The Shellback Riders of the

Fleet Reserve Association Branch 290 are all active duty servicemembers and this subset of the branch is strengthen-ing the branch and Association’s fu-ture by engaging and training future FRA leaders. Involvement with the Shellback Riders also helps the sailors become more well-rounded individu-als while boosting their community service and understanding of the past, present, and future of military associa-tions. Branch 290 shipmates, including the Shellback Riders, also assist with blood drives and hosting USO dinners.

Branch 137 (Minden, Nev.) en-gages in several community projects that truly pay off with gains in mem-bership. Their membership rose from 57 to 74 during the last membership year and their goal is to keep growing. Branch President Rick Athenour and his shipmates take every opportunity to place themselves in the public eye at carnivals, parades, car shows, and civ-ic events of all kinds. The branch has hosted an Easter egg hunt in base hous-ing areas and barbecues for the Single Marine Program. FRA Auxiliary Unit 137 gets involved with outreach, too, sponsoring a program they’ve dubbed “Taste of Home.” Auxiliary members fill the refrigerator at the barracks with home-baked goods once a month. Talk about raising awareness about the FRA! Everyone loves food, and home-made goodies are always a special treat for single military personnel.

If your branch has a story to tell about your outreach efforts, please send me an email at Penny@fra.org and give me the details. I’d love to share your ef-forts with our shipmates and readers who are interested in replicating your positive representation of the FRA.

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Penny Collins is FRA’s Director of Membership Development and a member of FRA Branch 24 in Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at penny@fra.org.

Penny Collins

FRA Branch 22 partnered with the local CPOA branch to engage Navy Chief-selectees in building a brick walkway at the branch home.

Branch 298 President John Quesnel spoke about FRA’s important work on KCBQ’s “Military Mondays” radio show.

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Recent headlines are heralding new military career paths that, until now, had been open only to male servicemenbers. For example, two females graduated from the Army’s rigorous Ranger course in mid-August and the first four enlisted women selected to serve aboard Navy submarines started their training a few days later. But there was a time when women’s military service was extremely limited.

Women in Naval ServiceWomen served as Navy nurses during the Civil War and the ways in which females can serve in this branch of service have been broadening ever since. During World War I, the Navy’s need for clerical and administrative support led to the Naval Reserve Act of 1916, which authorized the enlistment of yeomen. Since the legislation didn’t specifically exclude women, the Navy enlisted Loretta Perfectus Walsh into the Naval Reserve in 1917 as its first female sailor. Other women followed, serving primarily as yeomen, but also as radio operators, photographers, telegraph operators, camouflage designers, and in a variety of other capacities. They were released from active duty when the war was over.

The beginning of World War II renewed the Navy’s need for clerical and administrative skills, but this time the Navy recruited women into a special segment of the service. The Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service program, or WAVES, was established on July 30, 1942. Unlike the Women’s Army Air Corps (WAAC), which was a women’s

auxiliary to the Army, the WAVES were an official part of the Navy. The objective was to place women in these administra-tive posts so that male sailors could be stationed overseas and serve in combat roles. WAVES held the same ranks and many of the same ratings as their male counterparts, earned the same pay and were subject to the same code of military discipline.

By mid-1943, 27,000 women were part of the WAVES program and their service was limited to non-combat billets. They couldn’t serve aboard ships or aircraft and, initially, their service was limited to the continental United States, though by war’s end some were serving in Hawaii and in some U.S. possessions. The majority was assigned to secretarial and clerical duties, but these women had much broader respon-sibilities than their WWI predecessors. Thousands served in the medical, aviation and intelligence communities. Still others served as photographers, storekeepers or in commu-nications stations. By the end of the war, more than 84,000 women had contributed to the war effort as WAVES.

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Top: WAVES recruitment poster encouraging woman to join the Navy for administrative work so that the men could be on the frontline. Middle: WAVES Petty Officers wearing their new rating badges after completion of specialized training, circa 1943. Obtained from www.womenofwwii.com. Bottom: Lt.(jg.) Harriet Ida Pickens and Ens. Frances Wills, the first African-American WAVES to be commissioned. December 21, 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

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A Man’s World According to C. Peter Chen, a contributor to the World War II database (http://ww2db.com), the use of the word “emergency” in the WAVES’ moniker (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), “signified that, when the effort to resurrect female service was in the planning stages, U.S. Navy brass thought female service would cease when the emergency, or the war, came to an end. The reason for that was due to political resistance from many who did not believe women had a place in the U.S. Navy, and for the program to take place, creative intrigue had to be used. Despite the resistance from conservative officers, however, the demand was clearly there; for example, as early as Jan 1942, the Office of Naval Intelligence was recruiting female college students. Even as President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Navy Women’s Reserve Act into law, little did people know that female service in the U.S. Navy would become something that would last far beyond the ‘emergency’.”

Their service was expected to be temporary and recruiting posters emphasized a sense of equality. Women were encour-aged to be “on the same team” as male sailors and touted that WAVES could earn the same ratings and pay as their male counterparts. They were expected to adhere to the same strict military standards regarding uniform and decorum. But they weren’t always considered equal.

It was the culture of the day to perceive females as the weaker sex. The WAVES primary purpose was to free men to serve

“To Look Their Best” was the original title for this photo when it appeared in the LA Times in August of 1950. “Fireman Apprentice Adolt, 19, sees something new on destroyer: Marion Koopman, left and Margaret Williams, prettying up on board USS Uhlmann.”

on the battlefield and those who remained stateside were often resentful of women in their workplace. Females had little authority over male subordinates and, in some instances, they were portrayed in the media more as cover girls than service members.

Pregnancy was automatic grounds for separation and regulations on marriage were very specific. According to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation website (www.womensmemorial.org/H&C/Collections/marriagepolicy.html), the policy concerning marriage evolved over the course of the war.

“Initially, WAVES could not marry men in the U.S. military and could not marry at all during indoctrination or training periods. The Navy soon saw the impracticality of this policy – such restrictions could mean the loss of well-qualified women or that women might hesitate to sign up. In 1942, the Navy changed its policy allowing WAVES to marry men of any service except the Navy, but a year later the policy changed again to allow women to marry naval men after completing initial and specialist training. Later in 1943, the regulations were again modified to allow WAVES to marry with permis-sion during specialist training.”

Motivation Women from all walks of life and from all parts of the country volunteered to join the WAVES. Whether to seek adventure or escape their current circumstances, each wanted to contribute and be an active part of the war effort.

Barbara (Garringer) Olsen’s* family moved several times during her childhood and finally settled on a farm outside Colville, Wash., where she spent the last three years of high school. “After graduation, I was shy, but ambitious and was [working] at the Office of Agricultural Adjustment Agency in downtown Colville. World War II had started and many young men were drafted or enlisting to serve,” she remembers.

She and a colleague began joking about joining the Navy with hopes of being stationed near their boyfriends, but it was the threat of farm duty that spurred her to action. “Now that my brothers had been called into service, Father announced that my sister and I would have to milk the cows. That did it! I said, ‘No way!’” and joined up!”

Olsen and her friend left for recruit training in March of 1943, becoming the first WAVE recruits from the area. Olsen went to boot camp at Hunter College in New York City, where she discovered that “the three months of discipline and training far outweighed anything I had experienced in my 20 years. Now it was time to grow up.”

Women could join the military at the age of 20, if they had a parent’s or guardian’s consent. Or they could join on their own at 21 without parental consent. Shipmate Florence McCann (Branch 186, Hernando, Fla.) was only 19 in the summer of ’43 and she wasn’t willing to wait.

“I’d been an orphan at the age of eleven and had been living on my own since I’d graduated from high school. I learned to do general office work and then went to a vocational/technical school, where I learned to be a beautician. I passed the state board exams, got a job, rented a room of my own and was quite comfortably independent, but I wanted out of the Pittsburgh area,” recalls McCann. “One day on my way to work, I saw a poster that said, ‘Join the WAVES’ and that sounded like a pretty good ticket.”

To meet the age require-ment, she doctored the birthdate on her baptis-mal certificate and took it to her court-appointed guardian, whom she’d never met before, and asked him to sign her paperwork to join the Navy. He did and she was on her way to “a good life.”

Shipmate Florence McCann (Branch 186, Hernando, Fla.) Photo by Matthew Beck.

* Profile information for these WAVES were obtained from Women of the WAVES at www.womenofthewaves.com/profiles/index.shtml

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Helen “Corky” (Halseth) Leland* grew up on a farm near Kendrick, Idaho, where food was plentiful, but life was hard for a large family. She went to a one-room school through the eighth grade and then moved into town to attend high school. She graduated in the spring of 1941.

“When Pearl Harbor was bombed, my two oldest brothers left for war. That’s when I decided I should go, too,” Leland proudly remembers. “Seven of us served in the military and we all returned home. All five brothers and one sister served in the Army, but I chose the Navy. My youngest sister stayed home to help on the farm.”

Learning the “Navy Way”As these ladies began their military careers, their emotions weren’t unlike those experienced by their male counterparts. Many recalled the train trip to their training programs and the early days of boot camp quite vividly.

Dolores (Demo) Maillette* left Bay City, Mich., in March of 1944, bound for boot camp at Hunter College in [the Bronx]. She and two other enlistees joined other recruits in Detroit and “our troop train continued to add more cars filled with future WAVES from all over the United States. We got our first taste of military life as we took turns standing watch during the night.”

Following six weeks of boot camp, Maillette was sent to Oklahoma A & M College in Stillwater to hone her secre-tarial skills and “learn the ‘Navy way’ of doing things. Our troop train traveled through Canada on the way to Stillwater and we later received ‘overseas pay’ for that trip.”

Leland recalls how difficult it was to leave her family, “but it turned out to be quite an adventure. I met a girl from Montana who, too, was sworn in in Seattle. We traveled to New York together and discussed what we should do when

we got [there]. When we arrived at Grand Central Station, there were so many military officials there to meet us, along with hundreds of other girls, that the decision of what to do was out of our hands. They took us to Hunter College. We were one of the first regiments there. When Taps were played that first night, there were a lot of tears because some were homesick already.”

Mary Ellen (Gilbert) Harrison* was called to active duty on February 25, 1943, and reported to Cedar Falls, Iowa for training. “[It was] about as far from water as a person could be,” she noted. “We were billeted in dormitories at Iowa State Teachers College and our days were spent in calisthenics and marching, marching, marching! I lost inches on this regime, but very few pounds. I was a member of a ‘crack march-ing’ platoon, which was called upon to march in parades all around Cedar Falls.”

It was serious business, of course, but these young women didn’t lose their sense of humor. Harrison remembers the Friday inspections well. “If [the captain] got any dirt on his white gloves we were not given a pass for liberty. His pet thing was to check our suitcases to see if we had stuffed things in there to get them out of sight. We decided to teach him a lesson and, on one Friday, we lined our suitcases with [sanitary] pads. He never said a word when he saw them, but he never again inspected the luggage – at least not in our bil-let. Our class was the last boot camp held there before it was converted to a yeoman school.”

Contributing to the War EffortFollowing boot camp, the new WAVES received specific assignments and went to follow-on schools to learn the skills required. Assignments were made based on aptitude or previous experience, but not always in accordance with the women’s desires. The needs of the Navy came first, of course, and each contributed to the war effort in her own unique way.

U.S. Navy WAVE Recruiting Poster from World War II show a WAVE in uniform holding up a chart of pay scales for different Navy ranks: Apprentice Seaman, Seaman Second Class, Seaman First Class, Petty Officers and includes enlisted U.S. Navy WAVE fringe benefits. Art by Navy artist John Falter.

“WAVES existed to allow the men go to the fight and I know my contributions weren’t like those men who did the fighting,” says McCann, who spent most of her Navy career working in the Navy Department’s Bureau of Ships, Research and Development division in Washington, D.C. “They did something really great … not me. Sometimes I felt like what I was doing was inconsequential, but I always felt like it was nec-essary. I was happy to do what I could for country and flag.”

Connie (Campbell) Conaway* grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, and, after graduating from high school, chose to pursue her dream of becoming a registered nurse. But after a few months of training, she decided that nursing really wasn’t for her. Her father had been in the Navy during World War I, so it was a natural choice for her to follow in his footsteps and her parents granted her permission to join the WAVES. Despite her belief that nursing wouldn’t be her chosen career path, the Navy had other ideas. Following boot camp she was assigned to Camp Moffett, Great Lakes Ill., which was a hos-pital corps training school. The training there was relatively easy for her as it was a virtual repeat of her previous hospital training, but there was still much to learn.

“I was assigned to Long Beach Naval Hospital and worked in the operating room of the dependents’ unit. I was assigned to the operating room and nearly didn’t make it. My first opera-tion was nearly a disaster,” Conaway chuckles. “I kept getting [dizzy] and had to leave the operating room and put my head down to keep from fainting. I was determined though, and spent the next few months as a scrub nurse there. I saw many caesarian births, tonsillectomies, gall bladder operations and so forth.”

Mary Ellen Harrison’s aptitude for mechanics made her a natural choice to be an airplane mechanic. As the third of seven children and older than her brothers, she became her father’s “’boy,’ helping him in the dairy and farming. I milked

many a cow and learned to use a saw and hammer. I could saw a board and pound a nail better than most boys. On the enlistment exam I scored high on tools and their use and the officer wanted me to go to airplane mechanic school. I re-sisted and finally convinced him when I said I wouldn’t go up in a plane I had serviced, let alone expect anyone else to. He finally agreed that yeoman [school] would be best for me.”

Leland, on the other hand, did become a part of the aviation community. “From [boot camp at] Hunter, I was sent to Memphis, Tenn., where I was informed I would be serving in the Aviation Department. Six months later I was sent to Norman, Okla., [where] was our job to learn the names of all the airplanes and all about the engine and what each [part] was for. Our instructor and some of the fellows would take the engine apart and we had to diagnose the trouble and reassemble it. When I graduated from the school at Norman, I was sent to Terminal Island at San Pedro, Calif. I spent the rest of my Navy life at that base.”

Many WAVES served as yeomen during their careers, providing needed clerical and administrative support to the Navy. And while some saw their work as mundane, each recognized its importance and is proud of the unique contributions she made.

Mary Ellen Harrison remembers her first assignment at the Bureau of Personnel as “not very inspiring. However, when the Navy lost three ships during a typhoon in Leyte Gulf, I was transferred to the Senior Surviving Officer Unit. After losing a ship, the senior officer would come into the Bureau to write letters to families of injured or lost [crewmembers]. Because the loss of a ship was not made public until all this was done, I had to be cleared to handle Top Secret material,” she recalls solemnly. “To be handed a wristwatch or billfold and told to see that it was sent to a wife or parents was very stressful.”

In another incident Harrison referred to herself as “a lowly yeoman being introduced to a room full of admirals. The captain of an aircraft carrier forgot to take plans with him when he went to the Bureau of Ships, so he called me to bring them to him. I was not cleared to take secret material out of the Bureau so I had to go to Admiral Denfeld (head of the Bureau) for permission, which he gave, but assigned two Marines to escort me. [When I got there], the room was filled

The flag is raised at the Hunter College campus, Bronx, New York, as it is placed in commission as the basic training center for Navy and Coast Guard women, 8 February 1943. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

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with gold braid. The captain proceeded to introduce me to each of them.”

Judith (Mack) Johnson* served as a yeoman at the Naval Training Center in Farragut, Idaho, where she held a variety of assignments. “My last and most interesting was as yeoman to the commander of the Retraining Command there. I super-vised an office of yeoman doing record-keeping for sailors jailed for medium offenses in the Pacific Theater, and some for the Atlantic Theater of Operations. In addition to secretarial duties, I made contact with the visitors to the facility, many of whom were parents of sailors [who were] incarcerated. It was difficult to answer the question: ‘What has the Navy done to my little boy? He was such a good boy at home.’ Many of the boys were in the 17-to-21 age range. I was 29!”

New and Unique Experiences In addition to their pride in contributing to the war effort and the new adventures their assignments offered, these women had other unique and memorable experiences they wouldn’t have had if not for their WAVES duty. They saw — and often participated in — history as it happened.

Florence McCann worked in D.C. and her office was just at the foot of the hill that surrounds the Washington Monument. “What an awe-inspiring place! I felt so privi-leged to live and work in Washington and pass by the White House and other buildings and monuments every day. It was also an honor to see all the historic things that happened there. When President Roosevelt died, I was there to see his casket being carried down the Capitol steps. I marched in the Nimitz Parade, [honoring the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in October 1945]. When World War II

ended, we walked from our barracks at Arlington Farms — just across from Arlington National Cemetery — into D.C. to celebrate.”

The WAVE officer who swore Mary Ellen Harrison into the Navy later became the Personnel Officer at BuPers. As a result, Harrison was selected for some very special duties. For example, she was one of seven enlisted WAVES on of-ficial duty for the funeral of Secretary of the Navy [William Franklin] Knox. “We received the flowers and catalogued them. We each took a red rose from the wreath sent by President and Mrs. Roosevelt. I pressed mine and still have it packed in cotton in perfect condition.”

Dolores Maillette’s most memorable experience was during her training in Stillwater, when she was “awakened in the pre-dawn hours on June 6, 1944, to listen to radio broadcasts of the Normandy invasion. Several shipmates were crying for loved ones taking part in the landings on the beaches.” She was also honored to meet Vice-President Harry Truman, his wife Bess and daughter Margaret at a USO function.

Leland’s sister was a lieutenant in the Army, serving as a nurse stationed at Birmingham General Hospital in California. Because they lived relatively close to one another, they enjoyed their days off together riding the trolley to Los Angeles and dancing the night away at the Palladium as many big-name bands played. Her sister eventually married an Air Force sergeant and “while my sister and her new husband were stationed at the hospital, they became friends with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. Lucille and Desi had us out to their beautiful home for dinner one evening. Desi entertained us by singing and playing the guitar and drums. Lucy was cutting up as usual. We had a fun evening!”

After the WarAs WWII drew to a close, most WAVES were honorably discharged from the Navy and returned to civilian life. But they were not the same women who’d joined the service a

Florence McCann was among the throng when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz sat in the back of a limousine and drove by a vast crowd during a Washington, D.C., parade in his honor on October 5, 1945. National Archive photo.

few years earlier. They’d experienced independence and the satisfaction of knowing their daily work made a difference to the country they loved. Many, like Helen Leland and Connie Conaway, married their hometown sweethearts or, like Florence McCann, married servicemen they’d met during their service. Others, like Conaway and Barbara Olsen, used their GI Bill benefits to seek college degrees.

In June of 1948, well after the end of WWII, Congress passed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act (Public Law 625), which allowed women to gain permanent status in all branches of military service. Dolores Maillette took advantage of the new policy, continuing her military service and also using her new skills for civilian employment.

“After [I was discharged] in April 1946, I returned to Bay City and resumed secretarial work,” she recounts. “I joined the Navy Reserve unit with weekly drills and two-to-four weeks of active duty at Great Lakes, Ill. I was honorably discharged in 1953 as YN1 [Yeoman First Class], waiting for an opening as YNC [Chief Yeoman]. At that time I was pregnant with the first of my six children, and thus, unable to complete time for retirement. After 12 years as a house-wife and mother, I returned to work for the Bay City Public Schools, and retired in 1987 as secretary to a high school principal.”

Lifelong FriendshipsThe Women’s Armed Services Integration Act made the WAVES program obsolete, though female members of the Navy were referred to as “WAVES” well into the 1970s. Despite the end of the program, the women who’d served as WAVES forged deep and lasting bonds with their sisters in service – bonds that would last for decades.

“I will always treasure my time in the Navy,” says Conaway wistfully. “This was one of the [most] fun times of my years and, as I mentioned, I still keep in touch with a least one person [from my days as a WAVE]. I named my second child for her.”

“We became friends for life,” explains McCann. “I was separated from my immediate family when I was very young. I wanted to have a family and the Navy became my family. It warms my heart to think of all the people who touched my life, people with whom I had more in common than before the Navy. If I hadn’t married, I would have tried to stay in after the war. There were no down-sides and I have no regrets.

I’ve had a wonderful life, filled with so much more than I had before I joined the Navy. Joining the Navy was a real dividing and defining point in my life. I’d do it all over again.

“The Navy also led me to one of the best parts of my life now — the FRA,” continues McCann, who is a Life Member and regularly attends Branch 186 (Hernando, Fla.) meetings. “The shipmates of our local branch are so very special to me and treat me wonderfully. I’m a member of other veterans’ organizations, but I often felt ignored. I felt like they let me in because they had to, but that’s not the case with FRA. I feel very welcomed and have a special bond with many of the shipmates and their wives.”

PricelessThe women who served as WAVES not only changed the Navy, they changed the way the world viewed females in military service and in society. It also changed the way they viewed themselves.

“I met great people, saw a lot of my country, and had some exciting experiences,” recalls Leland. “I am proud to think I served in the Navy.”

“Having joined the Navy WAVES at age 20 opened a whole new world that became one of the most rewarding and excit-ing experience of my early life,” says Olsen.

She doesn’t really like to be called a trailblazer, but McCann concedes she might have helped the Navy women who came after her. “I guess I did help pave the way for other women and advance the opportunities available to females today,” she admitted.

Mary Ellen Harrison summed up her WAVES experience this way: “On December 21, 1945, I was discharged, having served two years, 11 months and seven days. I wouldn’t take a million dollars for those two years, 11 months and seven days!”

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Lauren Armstrong is the Contributing Editor and Member of the FRA Auxiliary. She can be reached at lauren@fra.org.

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FRA PAST NATIONAL PRESIDENT (PNP) George W. Brown, Jr. joined the staff of the Supreme Commander on August 9, 2015. A continuous member of FRA since 1957, Brown spent more than 50 years in service to the Association at the local, regional and national levels.

Shipmate Brown joined the FRA in 1957 as a member of Branch 168 (Bainbridge, Md.), serving as a member of the branch’s board of directors. His return to sea duty kept him from active FRA involvement until he transferred to Branch 60 (Norfolk, Va.), where he remained a member until his passing. During his long tenure as an FRA ship-mate, Brown served on Branch 60’s board of directors (14 years), as editor of the Branch LOG (seven years) and Branch Secretary (two years). His shipmates elected him as Branch Vice President in 1967. He subsequently served as Branch First Vice President in 1968 and 1970, and then as Branch President in 1971. He served on multiple conven-tion and standing committees, was elected as East Coast Regional Vice President in 1975 and served as Regional President during the 1976-1977 Association Year. He was elected as the Association’s National Vice President in 1983 and served as FRA’s National President the following year.

Brown, a veteran of World War II and Korea, enlisted in the Navy in November of 1942, shortly after graduat-ing from high school. During his 21+ years of naval ser-vice, he held numerous sea- and shore-duty billets and transferred to the Fleet Reserve in May of 1964 as a Senior Chief Engineman, fully retiring from military service in 1972. Following his military duty, Brown was employed as a postal delivery messenger and then as a planned mainte-nance system developer for Stanwick Corporation. When

the system contract was federalized in 1967, Brown entered Civil Service as a GS-9 Equipment Specialist and eventually became a Supervisor Equipment Specialist in the Control Division of the Naval Support Center in Atlanta. He retired from that post in 1980, with more than 36 years of federal service to his credit.

Shipmate George will be remembered for his progres-sive thinking and his positive, motivational leadership style. During his tenure as FRA National President, he would spend weeks in each region, making extensive visits to branches in the area. He also led FRA to be instrumental in legislative gains during his term, including significant im-provements to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and thwart-ing threats to military retirement benefits. His commitment to others was evident in his leadership and involvement with the Knights of Columbus (Past Grand Knight), the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Naval Enlisted Reserve Association, Patrol Craft Sailors Association, Destroyer Escort Sailors Association, Tin Can Sailors Association, National Chief Petty Officers Association, and Christ the King Catholic Church.

Shipmate Brown is survived by his wife of 70 years, Anna O. Brown; two daughters, Ann O. (Reese) Graves of Cleveland, Tenn., and Mary A. Schleif of Ft. Mills, S.C.; two sons, George W. (Caroline) Brown III of Bay Minette and Robert M. (Deborah) Brown of Daphne; eight grand-children; two step-grandchildren; and eleven great-grand-children. Interment was at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort, Ala.

FRA offers its sincere sympathies to Shipmate Past National President Brown’s family and friends.

ENCS George W. Brown, Jr., U.S. Navy, Retired

September 27, 1924 – August 9, 2015

FRA National President 1984 – 1985

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In Memoriam TAPS

NAME BRANCH NAME BRANCH

NAME BRANCH

Abshire, Charles, PO1, USN MALAdams, Lyman, MS1, USN MALAlvey, Harry E, TMCSS, USN 136

Baney, Ramon D, CSC(SS), USN MALBarker, William H, MSCM, USN 293Barszcz, Martha A, SK1, USN MALBeckner, William M, CDR, USN 024Behm, Richard A., SN, USN 113Bracknell, James W, EMC, USN 020Brandow, William H, ADRC, USN 101Breazeale, Kenneth E, MMCS(SS),

USN 269PNP, Brown, George W, ENCS, USN 060Buckholz Sr., Richard A., SKC(SW) MALBurns, Edward J, AT1, USN 110

Collins, Stephen A, DR, USMC 275Crowe, George B, YNC (TAR), USNR 089

Devera, Servillano S, MR, USN 154Dillard, Kenneth E, SHC, USN 244Dorr, Leslie E., FICM, USCG, MALDoyal, James C, PRCM, USN 159PRPWC, Dracon, Julian R, LICM, USN 049Dvorak, James W, ADC, USNR 101

Emerson, John R, CAPT, USN MAL

Finlay, Joseph G, DK1, USN MALFiore, Elmer C, AOC, USN 126Foy, Edward B, ETCM, USCG, 099

Gannon, John W, EQCM, USN MALGindling, Larry B, ACC, USN 315Gualandi, Micheal, USN 020Guess, Manuel O, YNC, USN 162Gurecki, Thaddeus J, CWO3, USN MAL

Haas, Eugene D, DKC, USN 022Hammack, Gordon D, AE1, USN 013Hanley, Francis J, GMGC, USN 101

Henderson, Kenneth R, MGYSGT, USMC MAL

Horton, Glenn D, ENC, USN MALHunter, Andrew B, MGYSGT, USMC 307

Jackson, David S, NCC, USN MAL

Kessler, Robert R, QMC, USN 307

Lalk, Clarence L, Chief, USN 091Lawhead, Wilbur, STC, USN 289Lawhead, John R, PRC, USN MALLeonard, John B, GMC, USN 020Long, William D, SF1, USN 307

Macfarlane, Raymond, SKC, USN 042Manning, Joe B, MSGT, USMC 159Martin, William F, HMC, USN 011Middleton, William E, GMCG, USN MALMiller, William, AME1, USN MALMiller, David C, SK1, USN MALPRPSW, Miranda, Victor, AOC,

USN 070Moschella, Joseph M, CMCS, USN 226

Neighbors, Jack C, ENC, USN 020

Offret, Leland G, ETC, USN MALOlson, Raymond C, AMSC, USN 053

Pascarella, Nicholas A., SSGT, USMC 229

Payne, Emery E, HMCS, USN MALPhelan, Patrick M, BMCS, USN 166Pike, Melvin L, AN, USN 014Pratt, Joseph J, TM1, USN MAL

Richmond, Philip E, ADRC, USN 022PRPSW, Roberts, William J, BM1,

USN 061Rumaldo, Rios, AOCS, USN MALRussell, Cecil H, AOC, USN 038

Saffell, Gene L, ADJC, USN 070Shiver, Vynile B, MMC, USN 022Sizemore, David P, EN1, USN 105Smith, Lawrence W, MMCS, USN 070Stair, Ben, ET1, USN 046Steinborn, Bert A, GM2, USN 024Stutes, Clifton J, BMC, USN 159

Thomas, Chester E, ABHC, USN 042Tibbitts, Dean G, EMCS, USN MAL

Valdez, Salvador S, EMCM, USN 154

Veniskey, Richard, CMDCM, USN 146

Zigovits, Joseph J, YNC, USN MAL

Names in red indicate 50 year continuous members.

Names in bold indicate past national officers.

The toll of the ship’s bell

reminds us of the reverence

we owe to our departed Shipmates

and to those who guard the honor

of our country

upon the sea,

under the sea,

in the air

and upon foreign soil.

Let it be a reminder

of the faith they

confide in us.

Let us who gather here

not forget our obligations

and in silence

breathe a prayer

for our absent Shipmates.

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SHIPMATE PROFILE

Shipmate Fred Winter, 100, Sets Records at National Senior GamesBy Kenneth DeGraaf and Lauren Armstrong

MEET FRA SHIPMATE FRED Winter, a 100-year old World War II U.S. Navy veteran. He recently competed in this year’s Meijer State Games of Michigan track and field event and took gold in the 90+ age group in the 50-meter dash (24.02 seconds) and shot put (16 feet, 10 inches). He also won the hammer throw (11 feet, 2 inches) in the 80+ age division. His efforts not only won him gold medals and a trip to the 2015 National Senior Games in July, he also gained some well-deserved notoriety, being featured in People magazine fol-lowing the event. (To read the People article about Fred, visit www.people.com/article/fred-winter-100-years-old-meijer-state-games There’s also a video of an interview conducted at the State Games of Michigan event at http://stat-egamesofmichigan.com/fredwinter#.VfLVrVJRFPA)

Shipmate Fred grew up in Scranton, Penn., a coal mining town where na-tives were destined for a life of black lung disease due to inhaling coal dust. “These coal miners would only live till about 50 because of the dis-eases they got,” Fred explained. “They knew it was just a matter of time for the Grim Reaper to call their name.” Determined to have a better quality of life, Fred enlisted in the U.S. Navy as his only way out.

Fred served a total of 25 years, which included a term during World War II in the Battle of Okinawa. He started as a deck scrubber, and even-tually worked his way up to a Chief Petty Officer. Fred recalled fresh water being so scarce in the Pacific that each crew member was handed a bucket of water to start the day. This was all they got to wash their clothes and bathe. All showers onboard operated with

salt water from the ocean. Among his many years enlisted service, Fred served aboard the USS Mississippi, USS Enterprise, and as part of the Amphibious Command, which was the second line of defense behind the Marines.

When his time in the Navy was up, Fred studied pre-med at York College in York, Nebr. It was there that he met his eventual wife of 65 years; their marriage is still going strong to this day. Following graduation from York, Fred had trouble getting accepted into medical school, so he turned his stud-ies to Accounting. After receiving his master’s at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebr., Fred became a college professor in the subject. In a state that runs its economy off crops, however, the teaching salary in Nebraska was not cutting it. At the age of 65, Fred got

a job offer as a high school account-ing teacher in Holland, Michigan, that offered $3,000 more per year. Fred jumped at the opportunity and has lived there ever since.

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When Fred turned 70 years old, he decided he wanted to start com-peting in track and field through the Senior Olympics, having not compet-ed in track and field events since high school.

“I wanted to compare myself, phys-ically, mentally, morally, with people my own age,” Fred said about his de-sire to enter the sport, “and the one way to do that is to go into track and field.” At first, Fred struggled to qual-ify for most events, but through hard work, he slowly started earning bronze medals, then silver medals, all the way up to the point where gold medals be-came expected.

During the 2015 National Senior Games, Fred met and exceeded all

expectations. His 8.11 meter (26 feet, 7.29 inches) javelin throw garnered a gold medal. As did his shot put (4.23 meters/13 feet, 10.54 inches) and dis-cus throw (9.42 meters/30 feet, 10.87 inches), both of which set records. He also won the 50-meter dash with a time of 18.19 seconds. All pretty amazing stuff, but his 100-meter run made history. He’s the first man over the age of 100 to complete this race in the National Senior Games, run-ning a record time of 42.38 seconds. (You can read more about Fred’s re-cord-setting run and watch a video at http://www.runnersworld.com/gener-al-interest/100-year-old-races-100-me-ters-at-national-senior-games)

You might think that Fred has a collection of all the gold medals he has won, but you would be wrong. During combat in the Navy, Fred found himself about 10 feet under the Pacific Ocean surface and was certain he was going to die. Thankfully, a fel-low member of the Navy rescued Fred and brought him back to the surface. Beyond grateful for having his own life saved, Fred decides to give his gold medals away to anyone he can find that has saved a life. According to Fred, “They deserve it more.”

To be successful in track and field, Fred relies heavily on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He does aerobics each day at 6:00 in the morning, do-ing one push-up for each year of his

life (plus a little extra; he’s currently at 110 per day), and runs outside. If the weather is poor, Fred avoids excuses and simply runs alongside the walls of his house.

Shipmate Fred is a member of Branch 298 (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and has been a member since 1985. When asked what the key to a long lifespan is, Fred answered, “Have faith in God, faith in your fellow man, and faith in yourself.” Fred also encourages staying active no matter how young or old you are.

At 100 years old, Fred’s nowhere close to slowing down. He enjoys gar-dening and is working on a book about nutrition. It will be his second book; the first was about teaching the Bible to high school students – a course he taught in Holland public high schools until his retirement.

Fred is humble about his athletic victories and looks forward to com-peting and trying to win a few more medals to hand out to those who have saved lives. His wisdom, generosity, determination, and no-quit attitude is something we can all learn from.

SHIPMATE PROFILE

Special thanks to Kenneth DeGraaf and the Meijer State Games of Michigan for allow-ing us to reprint the article (and update after Fred’s national wins) and photos related to Shipmate Winter’s awesome achievements in FRA Today. The Meijer State Games of Michigan is a multi-sport, Olympic-style event(s) that welcome athletes regardless of age or ability level. The Games embody the values of participation, sportsmanship and healthy living. www.StateGamesofMichigan.com/

Homeowners, renters, and boat coverages are written through non-affi liated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency Inc. Motorcycle coverage is underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states or in all GEICO companies. Government Employees Insurance Co. • GEICO General Insurance Co. • GEICO Indemnity Co. • GEICO Casualty Co. These companies are subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.GEICO, Washington, DC 20076. © 2010 GEICO

1-800-MILITARY (1-800-645-4827)AUTO HOME RENTERS MOTORCYCLE BOAT

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LOOKING FOR…

REUNIONS

Bradford High School 40-year Class ReunionOctober 15 –17, 2015. Contact Tim Blankenship, 904-375-1265, mfctyr32@comcast.net

USS Donner (LSD-20)April 25–27, 2016, Harrisburg, PA. Contact Dennis Heimbach, 610-775-7539, dennisheimb@gmail.com

USS Ingersoll (DD-652/990)October 1-11, 2015, Tucson, AZ. Contact Neal Overman at 575-574-7921 or sw.nm.horseman@gmail.com. Visit www.uss-ingersoll-vets.com for more information.

USS Leary (DD-879)September 15 –20, 2015, Omaha, NE. Contact Al Redden, 1910 East 2nd Street, North Platte, NE 69101, 308-530-1284, alshr@allphone.com

USS Mullinnix (DD-944)April 6–10, 2016, Cocoa Beach, FL. Contact Bob Houghton, Charleston, SC 29492, 302-650-3042, muxassn@hotmail.com

The Naval Weather Service AssociationMay 5–6, 2016, The Villages, FL. Contact Gerald Struck, 3440 Dixon Ln., The Villages, FL, 352-408-0283, glvsusnret@reagan.com

USS Robert E. Peary (DE-1073, FF-1073)June 17–20, 2016, St. Louis, MO. Contact Don Winfield, 520-271-8684, tucsonvirusslayer@gmail.com

USCG Port Security Unit PSU-303(b)-Desert Shield/Desert StormMay 13–15, 2015, New York, NY. Contact Martin Maher, 917-337-4723, mardot237@aol.com

USS Power (DD-839)June 9–13, 2016, Washington, DC. Contact John Pinto, 352-527-2352, jpinto839@gmail.com

USS Saufley (DD-465)October 11–15, 2015, Columbus, GA. Contact Homer Hirt, Sneads, FL, 850-272-0643, hirtfam@gmail.com

USS Steinaker (DD/DDR-863)April 28–May 1, 2016, Baltimore, MD. Contact Russ Noble, 4608 Buckhorn Dr., Traverse City, MI, 231-944-2148, steinaker@charter.net

Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans DayApril 30, 2016, Jacksonville, AR. Contact Kay Duggar, 501-241-1943, jaxmilmuseum@gmail.com

USS Woodrow Wilson (SSBN/SSN-624)May 2–5, 2016, North Charleston, SC. Contact Wayne Gray, 350 Whitehead Rd. Mills, PA 16937, 814-334-5276, 4waygr@gmail.com

All reunion notices must be submitted in writing. Members can post reunions online at www.fra.org, submitted via e-mail to VictoriaD@fra.org or in writing to FRA Reunions, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Please include your FRA member number and a daytime phone number. Questions regarding reunion submissions should be directed to 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 108.

All Looking For … notices must be submitted in writing. Members can submit requests via e-mail to Lauren@fra.org or in writing to FRA Looking For, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Questions regarding Looking For… submissions should be directed to 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 126.

Capt. Walter (Bud) Kraus (SC) USNHe was my old boss and shipmate, ComCruDesLant Supply Officer, 1959–1961 (approx.); a true sailor. Please help me connect with him before I cash in! Contact Ray Souza, 33 Eleanor St., N Dartmouth, MA 02747-1924 or 508-996-6394.

PRCM Bill Horn We were stationed together at NAS Whidbey Para-loft, 1980 to 1983. Please contact AMCS Larry Mahoney, USN (Ret.) at 840 Quail Ln., Oak Harbor WA 9827, lkmahoney@frontier.com or 360-675-4668.

NAS Norfolk, VA softball team, 1961 to1962 or NAF Naples Italy softball team, 1963 to 1967Please contact Roy Fore at royfore@live.com or call 423-921-7410.

RMC Robert “Bob” RussellWe were stationed together in Barbados (1963-1964) and Keflavik, Iceland (1967-1969. His wife’s name was Myke. He later worked for Dunhill Corp. (a corporate head-hunter) and then operated two airlines in Barbados, Carib West and Calypso. The last time I saw him was in Barbados in 1971, but I lost track after that. Please contact OTCM Werner Miller (Ret.) at 757-705-7403 or wmiller22@cox.net

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NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES

BRANCH 124 LAKEHURST, N.J.

Shipmate CM1 William J. Cook receives a certificate of appreciation upon his retire-ment from the U.S. Navy. Pictured (l to r) are FRA Auxiliary member Bonnie McAuliffe, PRPNE David Munday III, Shipmate Cook, and Branch Vice President Charles Seidel.

BRANCH 162 NEW ORLEANS, LA.

JROTC Marine Cadet Sgt. Jared Headrick, a student at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, received a JROTC medal and a $25 gift card from NOLA Branch 162. Presenting the awards are Shipmates Bob Kinghorn (l) and Jerry DuPre (r).

BRANCH 126 JACKSONVILLE, FLA.

Branch President James J. Thomas presents a Letter of Commendation and lapel pin to Shipmate Frederick Moge in recognition of his 60 years of continuous FRA membership.

BRANCH 207 DALE CITY, VA.

Branch members were onhand to honor Shipmate BMC Don Grey (right) as he retired from the U.S. Coast Guard after a 20-year career. Shown here with his wife, CWO2 Kat Grey (who is also FRA’s PNChap), Shipmates Abe Zino, PNP Jeff Gilmartin and Branch President Bill Whitt also attended the ceremony. Shipmate Don’s parting words: “After 20 years in the U. S. Coast Guard, I am westbound and down!”

BRANCH 99 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA.

FRA shipmates honored Portsmouth Naval Hospital (Portsmouth, Va.) Sailor of the Quarter during a recent ceremony. Shown (l to r, front row) are: LS1 Kimberly Castro, HM2 Rainer Mission, HM3 Jamycia Click and HN Morgan Critchfield, (back row) Branch President Daniel Cheche, Branch Vice President Arthur Bailey and Branch Master-At-Arms David Moser.

NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES

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To submit a photo for News From the Branches, please e-mail a photo as an attachment in jpeg format to FRAToday@fra.org or mail a high-quality photograph to FRA Today, 125 N. West Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Please include a brief description of the photograph and include the names of those pictured. Laser prints and scanned copies of photographs cannot be accepted.

BRANCH 346 PANAMA CITY, FLA.

Members of the Arnold High School JROTC detachment and Boy Scout Troop 317 aided in a flag retirement ceremony conducted by Past Branch President Tommy Grant and Branch Secretary/Treasurer George Ivanhoff, with Branch President Bruce Blackford also in atten-dance. Pictured are scouts from Troop 317 and Scout Leader Jeff Neitzie.

BRANCH 178 MONTEREY, CALIF.

Branch President Michael Ryan receives the charter for Cub Scout Pack 84, which the branch sponsors, from Harry Robbins of the local Scout Council.

BRANCH 171 SOUTHERN LUZON, P.I.

In April 2015, the branch conducted a ceremony honoring the remaining 11 FRA members who formed the branch in 1985. Branch President Chon A. Quevado awarded each of them a 30-year continuous membership pin and recognized their many years of dedicated service to the FRA. Pictured (l to r) are Shipmates Arturo M. Mendoza, Romeo L Manalo, Benjamin B. Ignacio, Ricardo N. Ferrer, Mrs. Nenita T. Cruz, Viviano M. Cruz, Branch President Quevado, Ricardo N. Ferrer, Mrs. Illuminada Ferrer, Antonio H. Ercia, Mrs. Fely Ercia, Isaias A. Moya, Apolinaro V. Martinez, and Mrs. Imelda Martinez.

BRANCH 251 MOUNTAIN HOME, ARK.

Past Branch President Don Owens (l) and Branch President Curtis Grant (r) present the National First Place 11th Grade essay contest award to Lydia Macfarlan (center).

BRANCH 42 QUONSET POINT, R.I.

Branch members help Shipmate William Grimshaw celebrate his 102nd birthday in early May. Shipmate Bill was a Seabee during WWII, and participated in the invasion of Saipan in June of 1944.

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NEWS FROM THE AUXILIARY OF THE FRA

MARY ANN FRANKWest Coast Regional

President-Elect

Message from RPWC-Elect Mary Ann Frank

SMOKE FROM THE WILDFIRES hung over Donner Pass as those from the West head-ed to Carson City, Nev., for the 59th FRA and LA FRA West Coast Regional Conventions hosted by Branch 192 (Fallon, Nev.) & Unit 137 (Minden, Nev.). Each person was anxiously anticipating seeing old friends and making new ones. The hospitality room and registration were open for those arriving on Thursday.

Friday morning there was a free video tournament in the main casino area and each person had to be registered to participate. Prizes were awarded to the winners. Friday evening brought the familiar Carson City Regional Convention bowling tournament that generated many laughs and much camaraderie.

Our keynote speaker for the afternoon Opening Ceremonies was Congressman Mark E. Amodei, who was entertaining as well as informative.

The West Coast Units are very busy, participating in parades and recruiting booths; serving BBQ & cookies for Pickel Meadows Marine Mountain Warfare Training Center; providing bathroom and kitchen baskets for homeless Veterans being placed in apartments; giving to the Teddy Bear program for needy chil-dren; contributing to Fisher House, making baby layettes, visiting VA Clinics with coffee and goodies, participating in flower-laying ceremonies on veterans’ graves, helping out at bingo night at the VA, donating to Angel Tree at Fallon and donations to many other worthwhile programs. One Unit adopted a grandmoth-er, with various needs, and took on the responsibility of caring for her grandchil-dren when both their parents had been called to active duty.

Congratulations to the regional officers elected for the 2015–2016 and I’m honored to be the again serve as Regional President. Our Regional Vice President is Kelly Pena and Sheryl Olave will be our Regional Treasurer.

The 2015–2016 West Coast Regional Convention will be held at Carson City, Nev., hosted by Branch and Unit 137 (Minden, Nev).

Goodbyes were said with hopes to see many at the National Convention in Spokane, Wash., later this month!

Past and present West Coast regional officers posed after being sworn in. Shown (l to r) are: RChapWC Jan Solberg, PNChap Lorraine Maese, PRTreasWC Trilja Laird, RTreasWC Sheryl Olave, PNP and RegParlWC Dorothy Maurath, RVPWC Kelly Pena, RSecWC Wilma Archer, RPWC-Elect Mary Ann Frank, JrPRPWC Polly Stonich, PRPWC Kathy Goheen, and PRPWC Joan Ellis.

Regional officers posed after the opening ceremonies at the West Coast Regional Convention. Shown (standing, l to r) are PRPWC Kathy Goheen, JrPRPWC Polly Stonich, NTreas Karen Snee, PNChap Lorraine Maese, (seated, l to r) RPWC-Elect Mary Ann Frank, PRTreasWC Trilja Laird, RSecWC Wilma Archer and PRPWC Joan Ellis.

POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO:

MEMBER SERVICESFRA

125 N. WEST STREETALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754