Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 03/03/2003

Dear Sergeant Shaft:
On January 1, 2003, The Retired Officers Association (TROA) officially became the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). We are excited about this momentous change, and I appreciate the opportunity to tell people why we did it. 

The new name was chosen to communicate to association members, prospective members, Congress, and the public the full scope of the association’s ongoing mission. We represent the issues and concerns of officers—active duty, second career and fully retired and their families--from every branch and service, including National Guard and Reserve, throughout their lives. Today, six out of 10 retired officers belong to MOAA, as do more than 30,000 active duty officers.

As you know, however, the effectiveness of any organization in Washington is tied to its membership numbers. We’ve long enjoyed the advantages of a well-organized and responsive membership. But the reference to “retired” in our previous name gave many active duty, Guard and Reserve, and retired officers in second careers the misimpression that they weren’t eligible to join – even though we’ve long championed their legislative causes. Our new name should eliminate any such confusion. 

I can assure you that our commitment to pushing a full legislative agenda to help every member and family now serving and all who have served their country in a military uniform has not changed one whit. In 2003, for example, MOAA will be working with the other 32 members of The Military Coalition on such important initiatives as:

- Increased Survivor Benefit Plan annuities for older military widows (whose annuities actually decline at age 62 under current law)

- Payment increases and administrative changes to attract more doctors to participate in Medicare and TRICARE

- Pay raises for the active duty troops that will help to reduce the existing 6.4% paygap with the private sector

- Equitable relief for disabled retirees who don’t qualify for the new special compensation for certain combat-disabled retirees 

- Capital gains tax equity for military homeowners and tax deductibility for Guard and Reserve members’ drill-related travel and lodging expenses

We know that 2003 will be a challenging year, with lots of competition for limited budget dollars. However, keeping our military strong is important. A strong military is based on attracting and retaining high-quality men and women to serve, and then caring for them and their families after they do. That’s what we’re about.

We look forward to serving the military community for a long time to come.

VAdm. Norbert R. Ryan, Jr., USN (Ret) 
President
Military Officers Association of America

Dear Admiral Ryan,
Welcome aboard. I am looking forward to working with you and your staff on these many important issues. “ What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

Shaft Kudos
A sad farewell to good buddy and fellow Marine, Dick Beans. His love of family, faith, friends, Country and Corps personified his 77 years on earth. 

Richard Carl Beans was born at Columbia Hospital in Washington DC. The son of Carl Ray and Alice Marie Beans, he was the eldest of their three children and brother to Alice Marie and James William. He spent his childhood in Arlington, VA where he attended Washington-Lee High School. At seventeen, his strong patriotic spirit and love of his country drew him to military service. He proudly served in the Marine Corps fighting in numerous battles in the South Pacific. He was awarded the Purple Heart for serious injuries he sustained in Guam. After more than a year in recovery from those injuries, he returned to Virginia where he met his soul-mate and wife to be, Frances Anne Thomas. They were married in Leesburg, VA on September 6, 1947 and spent 55 years together and raised six children, Tim, Rick, Ronnie, Terry, Randy, and Tracy. Dick was very proud of his 10 grandchildren, Jason, Eric, Krystal, Lindsay, Katie, Ryan, Shaun, Casey, Hunter, and Paige.

During Dick’s career he held numerous positions. He was the Director of Procurement for Collins Radio and completed his career at Collins as the Vice President of Southeast Asia Operations stationed in Bangkok, Thailand. Dick was Director of Procurement for the Federal Agency, ACTION and was a member of the Sr. Executive Service. He was Vice President of Technology, Economics and Management Associates (TEM Associates) establishing their Washington operations. He held numerous consulting positions throughout his career, including a long tenure with Macfaden and Associates, Inc.

Dick was a life long member of the Republican Party and a strong advocate for Veteran’s rights. He loved to play golf and passed that love to his children and grandchildren. Dick loved to travel and visited numerous countries throughout the world for business and pleasure. He loved the Ocean and he and Frances spent many happy weekends at their beach house in Ocean City, MD. Most of all Dick loved his family and grandchildren and never missed an important event in any of their lives attending every sporting event, recital, play, and birthday party.

Dick was diagnosed with Cancer of the esophagus in June 2002 and underwent 4 major operations. Complications of his combat wounds further aggravated his condition and he lost his battle to cancer and died peacefully at home in his sleep on February 10, 2003.

Pop Beans will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and his dog, Stormy. 

Dick truly was one of the greatest of the greatest generation”. I am sure his soul was filled with pride as his fellow Marines paid a final tribute to him with gun salutes, TAPS, and the presentation of his honored flag to his beloved wife with the following words, “On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps and a grateful Nation.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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