|
As a 501(c)19, Veteran Organization, the
Northwest Florida Military Officers
Association solely focuses on the needs of
those presently serving and those who have
served. Our recent Community Outreach
initiatives include:
2018:
Veterans Stand Down; 2019:
Purchased kitchen equipment for One
Hopeful Place Homeless Shelter; 2020,
2021, & 2022:
Purchased commissary gift cards for
distribution to E4 and below enlisted
families at Thanksgiving; 2022, we
partnered with the Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) and purchased and placed
wreaths on Veterans’ graves. In 2023,
we will again purchase gift cards for junior
enlisted families, partner with the DAR, and
unveil a new initiative…Valentines for
Vets. Please help us to continue our
work in the community by clicking the
donation form below.
2024
Read Across America (March 1, 2024)
By Jeff Watson, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
President Joe Biden, Jr, declared March 2,
2024, as Read Across America Day, a day that
fell on Saturday, so educators in Okaloosa
County Schools celebrated on Friday, March
1st. As President Biden states in his
proclamation, “we celebrate the power of
literacy to expand our minds and our
understanding of the world around us.” The
President goes on to explain that
“[r]esearch shows that children who start
school at 3 and 4 years old are more likely
to graduate from high school and further
their education.” Reading is obviously a
part of that education.
March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’ birthday and the
encouragement to read is associated with the
recognition of Dr. Seuss. If you have ever
read a Dr. Seuss book, you might appreciate
the simplicity of its presentation and also
associate the book themes with imaginative
pictures that captivate any young reader. I
had the esteemed pleasure to participate in
the Longwood Elementary School Read Across
America event by reading to two combined
classes of kindergarteners at the invitation
of Longwood Principal Lisa Tucker. While
there, I met her administrative staff and
librarian, as well as two supportive
teachers and their students.
I was given an opportunity to select a book
of my choice from several pre-approved books
in the Longwood library. I saw several Dr.
Seuss books as well as Llama llama books. As
a parent and grandparent, I am familiar with
these books but I do not recall reading
“Pete the Cat” books so I chose the book
with Pete visiting the library. I thought it
perfect for my visit and these little
kindergarteners showed rapt attention. I
engaged them with questions as we proceeded
through the book and I was re-paid with
enthusiasm, raised hands, and responsive
answers, by well-behaved citizens.
As I returned to the library after reading
the book, and was saying farewell, one of
the teachers came in the library to give me
a farewell “thank you” memento from the
students. She asked them to draw something
from the story that they remembered. It was
truly a pleasure to see that they had paid
attention as the artwork reflected how well
they had listened to the story. If you are
ever asked to participate in this annual
school event, I encourage you to accept and
read to the students. I hope that my
participation will encourage them to be
future “readers” too!
Jeff
Watson reads to students at Longwood
Elementary students on Read Across America
Day at Longwood Elementary School.
For additional photos, Click HERE.
Officers Call - Doc's
Oyster Bar (February 29, 2024)
The NWFMOA celebrated Leap Day with an
Officers Call at Doc's Oyster Bar. We
signed up one new member and Doc's made a
donation to our 65th Anniversary banner ad
campaign.
For additional photos of the Officers Call,
click HERE.
Presentation to Emil Pagliari
(February 15, 2024)
Chapter President, Fran Hendricks presents
Major Emil Pagliari, CAP, and owner of The
Shack Restaurant on Hwy 98, Fort Walton
Beach, with two coins from Florida Council
of Chapters President, Pat Kluever. One coin
is the Florida Council of Chapters MOAA coin
and the other is the Mayport MOAA Chapter
coin. These coins were presented as a token
of appreciation to Emil for his restaurant
hosting Frank “Tank” Michael, MOAA National
visit in February 2023 and for hosting Pat
Kluever and the FCoC Leadership team's visit
in November 2023. Emil has also been a
contributor to the NWFMOA Scholarship Fund.
Emil is 90 years young and until recently,
was flying his own private plane. He
epitomizes "The Right Stuff”.
AF JROTC Area Drill Competition
(February 10, 2024)
On February 10, 2024, Dave Parisot attended
drill competition hosted by the Fort Walton
Beach AFJROTC at the Commando Hangar at
Hurlburt Field. This was their first annual
drill competition for six local Air Force
JROTC units. AFJROTC units from Niceville,
Choctawhatchee, Walton, Fort Walton Beach,
Gulf Breeze, and Pensacola High Schools
participated in the drill competition. The
event started at 8:30AM and finished at
approximately 3:00PM. Each team was judged
on several drill components including armed
and unarmed regulation, armed exhibition,
color guard regulation and color guard
specialty.
The FWB AFJROTC plans to continue hosting
this event annually in the upcoming years.
Dave sees potential for the NWFMOA Chapter
and Scholarship Fund to be a sponsor to
defray some of the expenses if future years.
Opening ceremony at JROTC Drill Competition
in the Commando Hangar at Hurlburt Field on
Feb. 10, 2024
Dave Parisot, President of the NWFMOA
Scholarship Fund, Inc., (center) discussed
our Scholarship Programs
with JROTC cadets of Niceville High School
at the Drill Competition at Hurlburt Field
on Feb. 10, 2024
Our 2nd Annual
Valentines for Veterans (January 14,
2024)
NWFMOA carried on its newfound tradition of
Valentines for Veterans. This special
community outreach program which the Chapter
instituted in 2023, was the original idea of
General Ron Folgeman, Air Force Chief of
Staff. By resurrecting this program, the
NWFMOA has become the facilitator for
bringing Longwood Elementary School and the
Air Force Enlisted Village (Bob Hope
Village) together for this annual
celebration on Valentine’s Day.
Once again, this year the students from
Longwood Elementary hand delivered their
Valentines to the residents of Bob Hope
Village. Under the watchful eye of their
teachers and Principal Lisa Tucker, the
students walked from their campus to the Bob
Hope Village to personally present their
handmade Valentines to the anxiously waiting
residents. The students made over 300
Valentines…they wanted to make sure everyone
received one. From the smiles, laughter, and
especially the hugs, this was once again a
resounding success.
In addition to receiving Valentines from the
students, the residents were serenaded by
the Emerald Coast Chorus. As an indication
of the importance of this event to the
community and the school district, Dr Lamar
White, Okaloosa County School Board, was
also in attendance.
Special thanks to Tom Azar, Ray Alexander,
Dick Solt, Dave Parisot, Fred Westfall, Rod
Gerdes, Mel Claxton, Bob Allen, Kim Wintner,
and Fran Hendricks for attending. We also
unveiled our new NWFMOA Chapter Banner…great
job Jim Shoff!
Firsts Sergeants Attend January Luncheon
(January 4, 2024)
First Sergeants from Eglin, Hurlburt Field,
and Duke Field attended the NWFMOA January
lunch meeting. Also joining them was the
President of the Commando Airman & Family
Support Group. They came at the invite of
the Board to meet our members and provide
feedback regarding our Annual Junior
Enlisted Family Commissary Gift Card
program. Each base received a specified
allotment of the 300 Commissary gift cards
we purchased based on their base’s junior
enlisted population. In addition to enjoying
lunch with our members, a First Sergeant
from each base and the President of the
Commando Airman & Family Support Group
addressed the Chapter and shared some short
stories regarding the impact this program
had on those it aims to help. Their words
captured fully what this program means to
the junior enlisted assigned to our local
community.
2023 was the fourth year NWFMOA has
conducted this program. In the first three
years (2021, 2022, 2023), we averaged 189
gift cards purchased. In 2023, that number
skyrocketed to 300 gift cards purchased. We
were able to do this thanks to the $1,500
grant we received from the MOAA Foundation.
We combined that grant with $6,000 we raised
thanks to the generosity of our Chapter
members, local residents, Destin Chamber of
Commerce, Eglin AFA, American Legion Post
235, VFW Post 7674, VFW Auxiliary Post 7674,
Moose Lodge 2193, Emerald Bay Golf Club, and
the Emerald Coast MAC to purchase the 300
Commissary gift cards.
In the recently approved 2024 Goals and
Tasks, the NWFMOA Board set 300 gift cards
as a Chapter goal again for this year.
Donations to the gift card program can be
made year-round. I invite you to visit our
website by going
HERE and then clicking
on the NWFMOA Community Outreach Donation
Form button. There you will find a form in
which a donation can be made.
A First Sergeant from each base and the
President of the Commando Airman & Family
Support Group addressed the Chapter and
shared some short stories regarding the
impact of our Junior Enlisted Family
Commissary Gift Card had on those it aims to
help.
American Legion High School
Oratorical Scholarship Program
(January 7, 2024)
NWFMOA Chapter members Bert Everhart and
Fran Hendricks participated in the American
Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship
Program on Sunday, January 7th at the
American Legion Post 235, Fort Walton Beach.
Bert was a judge and Fran served as a
tabulator. Students from local high schools
participated in the program. Each student
presented a prepared speech (not to exceed
10 minutes) and was required to give an
additional 3-minute speech. The students had
no prior notice of the subject of the
3-minute impromptu speech other than it
would be one of the Amendments to the US
Constitution. The event’s facilitator drew
the envelope containing the Amendment to be
addressed. That Amendment was the 23rd
Amendment which extended the right to
participate in presidential elections to
residents of the District of Columbia. Each
student had 5 minutes to prepare their
3-minute speech.
This is another example of NWFMOA partnering
with likeminded Veteran Organizations.
2023
NWFMOA Participates in Wreaths Across
America
On December 16th, our Chapter
participated in the Wreaths Across America
event at the Beal cemetary. We had 7
NWFMOA members (pictured below) who
participated in laying the wreaths and
NWFMOA members B/Gen Patt Maney and
Dr. Ed Merkle were part of the presentation
ceremonies.
Pictured from left are Fred Westfall, Karl
Eschmann, Jim Shoff, Dave Parisot, Fran
Hendricks, Bob Gramm and Les Matheson.
View all the pictures of the event by
clicking HERE.
NWFMOA Military Ball
On December 14th, our Chapter
wound down our activities by celebrating the
Christmas season at our annual Military
Ball. Shown below are some of those present
wearing their mess dress attire. Attendance
topped 50 this year.
For additional pictures of the Ball, click
HERE.
Gift Cards for Junior Enlisted Families
On December 1st, our Chapter presented more
Commissary gift cards for junior enlisted
families at Duke Field and the 7th
Special Forces Group (A)
(see photos below). (See the November 2023
Defender issue for article and more photos.)
This is the fourth consecutive year that
NWFMOA has done this project to assist young
military families. Started in 2020 with
Community Outreach grants from the
MOAA Foundation,
donations by Chapter members, and donations
by local businesses and military non-profit
organizations, our Chapter has provided a
total of 900 Commissary gift cards of $25
each to enlisted families of ranks E-4 and
below and distributed by the First Sergeants
Associations at Eglin, Hurlburt, the 7th
Special Forces Group (A), the 919SOW First
Sergeants Council, and via the Commando
Airman & Family Support Group at Hurlburt
Field. By partnering with these military
organizations, we better assure that the
neediest junior enlisted families (airmen
and soldiers) in ranks E-4 and below receive
the food purchase assistance provided. The
total monetary value of these Commissary
gift cards is $22,500. THANK YOU to all who
have supported this worthwhile program. We
plan to do it again in 2024.
Dave Parisot and Chapter President Fran
Hendricks presented 25 commissary gift cards
to SMSgt
Censabella of the 919SOW First Sergeant
Council at Duke Field on Dec. 1st.
Dave Parisot and Fran Hendricks
presented 75 Commissary gift cards valued at
$1,875 to First Sergeant James Schultz of
the 7th Special Forces Group (A) on Dec. 1st.
For additional
pictures of the presentation of E4
commissary gift cards, click HERE.
On November 14th and 16th, our Chapter
presented Commissary gift cards for junior
enlisted families at Hurlburt Field and
Eglin Air Force Base (see photos below).
This is the fourth consecutive year that
NWFMOA has done this project to assist young
military families. Started in 2020 with a
grant of $3,575 from the MOAA Foundation and
donations by Chapter members, our Chapter
provided 143 Commissary gift cards of $25
each to enlisted families of ranks E-4 and
below through the First Sergeants
Associations at Eglin, Hurlburt, and the 7th
Special Forces Group (A), and via the
Commando Airman & Family Support Group at
Hurlburt Field. In 2021 we continued this
project with a grant of $3,750 from the MOAA
Foundation plus $1,300 in donations by
Chapter members for a total of $5,050. With
these funds we purchased and distributed 202
Commissary gift cards at $25 each to junior
enlisted families.
With the positive feedback we received from
the multiple First Sergeant Associations, we
continued this program in 2022 and 2023. The
MOAA Foundation Grant in 2022 was $4,000,
plus we added $2,375 of local member and
business donations for a total of $6,375.
This allowed us to purchase and distribute
255 gift cards. Our MOAA Foundation grant
for this program in 2023 was $1,500, but we
added $6,000 in donations from Chapter
members and local businesses for a total of
$7,500. The 300 Commissary gift cards were
distributed as follows: 75 cards each to the
Hurlburt Field First Sergeants Association
($1,875); Eglin First Sergeants Association
($1,875); and, 7th Special Forces Group (A)
First Sergeants Association ($1,875). We
also gave 25 gift cards to the 919th SOW
First Sergeants Council ($625) and 50 gift
cards to the Commando Airman & Family
Support Group at Hurlburt Field ($1,250). By
partnering with these military
organizations, we better assure that the
neediest junior enlisted families (airmen
and soldiers) in ranks E-4 and below receive
the food purchase assistance provided.
In the four years we have done this project,
we have benefited 900 junior enlisted
families. Our sincerest ‘THANK YOU’ to all
who have donated to this program. Current
plans are to continue this program in 2024.
Veterans Stand Down
November was a busy month for our Chapter’s
Community Outreach programs. Okaloosa County
held its annual Veterans’ Stand Down on
Wednesday, November 8th, at the FWB
Fairgrounds. Our NWFMOA Chapter was one of
40 local organizations who provide services
for Veterans with a booth at this event. In
our booth, we had over 1,000 items of new
clothing which we purchased via the $2,800
in grant funds we received last May from the
MOAA Foundation’s Community Outreach Grant
program. Our inventory of clothing items
distributed to male and female Veterans
consisted of 57 pairs of men’s and ladies’
jeans, 10 pairs of sport pants, 32 men’s
T-shirts, 43 ladies’ shirts, 75 pairs of
men’s boxer shorts, 4 jackets, 71 hoodies
for men and women, 40 pairs of shower shoes,
96 sets of stocking caps & gloves, and 612
pairs of crew socks (men and women). The
clothing items were primarily oriented
towards the up-coming colder months. The
clothing items were distributed to over
fifty local Veterans.
Our NWFMOA booth was manned by members Dave
Parisot, Dick Solt, Fran Hendricks, and Karl
Eschmann. We sincerely thank the MOAA
Foundation for providing the funds to
purchase the clothing items.
|
Vietnam Veterans Recognition Ceremony |
|
|
 |
The NWFMOA
partnered with
the Daughters of the American
Republic in the
Vietnam Veterans
Recognization Ceremony hosted at the Air
Armament Museum on
November 3rd. President Fran Hendricks,
1st Vice President Karl Eschmann, Jeff
Watson, Patrick Johnson and Les Matheson each spoke during the ceremony.
To view a video of the event, click
HERE.
Membership Recruiting Booth
Our Chapter had an information booth at the
annual Home & Boat Show at the Emerald Coast
Convention Center on September 23rd and
24th.
Just another effort to get our
organization in front of the local community
and businesses to promote our organization
and community service projects.
We were able to contact
about ten potential new members using
our ‘tri-fold member recruiting folder’ Ia
copy is on the NWFMOA website).
A hearty ‘thank you’ to Chapter
members Fran Hendricks, Jim Shoff,
Bob Gramm, Dick Solt, and
Dave Parisot for giving up some of their
weekend time to man the booth.
Pictures below are of Major Dave
Parisot on left and Capt Jim Shoff and Brig
Gen Fran Hendricks, Chapter President, on
right.
NWFMOA Scholarship Awardees Receive
Commissions
In May of 2023, five of our previous
scholarship awardees were commissioned in
three of our military services. 2nd Lt. Cole
Briggs, USAF, was commissioned at the
University of Notre Dame via its AFROTC
program. Cole is a former graduated of Baker
School and Army JROTC. 2nd Lt. Yolanda
Stallworth, USAF, received her commission
via the AFROTC at the University of Central
Florida. She graduated from Niceville H.S.
and its AFJROTC program in 2019. Also, is
2nd Lt. Blayne Johnson of Niceville. He
received one of our ROTC scholarships at the
University of West Florida AFROTC. We also
have 2LT James Webb, U.S. Army, at the
University of West Florida Army ROTC
program. He previously received one of our
JROTC scholarships in 2019 at Crestview H.S.
The Nany Nurse program gains Ensign Sarah
Brown, USN, a former Navarre NJROTC
scholarship recipient in 2019. Sarah
received her nursing degree at Belmont
University and her commission from the NROTC
at Vanderbilt University. Our heartiest
congratulations and best wishes for success
as they pursue their military careers. They
are welcome back to see us at any time.
Annual NWFMOA Scholarship Awards
Our annual Scholarship & Awards Luncheon on
May 4th was very well attended with 97
people and cadets, our highest attendance
ever. We awarded eight scholarships
totaling $25,500 to JROTC cadets at six of
our local high schools plus one scholarship
of $4,000 to a local ROTC cadet at the
University of South Florida. We continued a
program we started last year of naming some
of our scholarships to remember deceased
NWFMOA Chapter members.
Pictures from the 2023 Awards Luncheon can be seen by clicking HERE.
Fort Walton Beach
Memorial Day Service
The morning
started early at 7:00AM in the morning when
35 JROTC cadets from Fort Walton Beach High
School approached the gravesites of 1,800
military Veterans, hand saluted and placed a
United States flag at their headstones. By
9:00AM, over 1,800 graves had been
decorated. Per JROTC instructor Mark Batcho,
Col., USAF, Ret., this is one of their
annual events with the most cadets
participating. The JROTC also provided the
color Guard for the service to present the
Colors. Several of our members
participated in the service. Lt Col Frank
Roberts recited the poem “In Flanders
Fields” by John McRae after the National
Anthem. Chapter members T. Patt Maney, BG,
USAR, Ret., and Chuck Merkel, Jr., Major,
USA, Ret., helped read the ‘Roll Call of the
Deceased’ which included about a dozen of
our Chapter members. (see photos below).
NWFMOA
Receives MOAA Foundation Grants for 6th
Consecutive Year
On May 12th we
were notified by the MOAA Foundation that we
received two Community Outreach Grants this
year, our sixth consecutive year our Chapter
has received grants. The first grant of
$1,500 is for a continuation of one of our
Community Outreach projects from the most
previous three years, i.e., to purchase
commissary gift cards for young enlisted
families (E-4 and below) at our local bases.
The second grant, for $2,800, is to
participate in the 2023 Veterans Stand Down
this fall by purchasing cold weather
clothing and toiletry items for needy
Veterans in our area.
This will be our fourth consecutive year of
purchasing Commissary gift cards in $25
denominations to distribute to local junior
enlisted families. We plan to again partner
with the First Sergeants Associations at
Eglin, Hurlburt, and the 7th Special forces
Group(A) and the Hurlburt Military Family
Assistance Center to get the gift cards to
those in greatest need. In our Community
Outreach projects for 2020, 2021, and 2022,
we distributed a total of 610 gift cards at
a combined value of
$15,250. Of this total, the MOAA Foundation
provided $11,325 and $3,925 was from local
donations.
Military Family Appreciation Day
The Greater Fort
Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted the
Military Family Appreciation Day at the Fort
Walton Beach Landing Park on Saturday, April
15th from 11:00AM to 5:00PM. Chapter members
who staffed our NWFMOA booth on the first
shift were (from left) Bob Gramm, Dave
Parisot, Fred Westfall.
Below
are those at our booth for the second shift.
From left are Jim Shoff, George Hanks, Fran
Hendricks, Dick Solt. The third shift was
rained out. We thank you for sharing your
weekend time for the benefit of our Chapter
and local community.
Valentines for Vets
A new community
event for 2023 was “Valentines for Vets”.
For nearly 65 years, the Northwest Florida
Military Officers Association (NWFMOA), an
affiliate of the Military Officer
Association of America, has been making a
difference in the lives of Veterans in the
Okaloosa and Walton Counties. One of its
community outreach initiatives this year was
to partner Bob Hope Village with Longwood
Elementary School, whereby second grade
students made Valentines and delivered them
to the residents on Valentine’s Day. This
endeavor allowed the students to express
their appreciation for the service and
sacrifices made by this Veteran community
and their families through the gift of a
handmade Valentine. The students presented
their Valentines to the residents during the
annual Valentine Day Brunch at Bob Hope
Village.
Valentines for Vets was first enacted in
1996 by General Ron Fogleman, Air Force
Chief of Staff, and was intended to support
the Department of Veteran Affairs weeklong
National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans.
Today, the VA has expanded the salute to the
entire month of February and has renamed it,
National Salute to Veteran Patients Month.
The NWFMOA invites everyone to recognize a
Veteran’s service and sacrifice especially
on Valentine’s Day. To view additional
pictures, click
HERE. This program was coordinated
by our Chapter President, Fran Hendricks.
More pictures from Valentines for Vets can
be seen HERE.
Fort Walton Chamber of Commerce thanks Dave
Parisot
Paul Singleton honored by FWB Chamber of
Commerce
Chapter member
Lt. Col Paul Singleton, USAF, Ret, was
honored by the Greater Fort Walton Beach
Chamber of Commerce on June 2nd with their
‘Above and Beyond’ award, and made ‘King for
the Day’ in front of approximately 300 local
business people. Paul has been a part of the
Chamber’s Ambassador Committee for 39 years
and has personally participated in over
1,700 ribbon cutting ceremonies for new
businesses. This is in addition to the
thousands of other volunteer hours Paul has
given to multiple non-profit organizations
in our local area. As a result, the Chamber
has added Paul’s name to this award and it
is now known as the ‘Paul Singleton Above
and Beyond Award’. Congratulations, Paul,
and thank you for what you have done and
continue to do to support our community.
(see photo below).
Chamber of Commerce "Business After Hours"
On January 19th
our Chapter had an information booth at the
“Business After Hours” event of the Greater
Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, held
at the Emerald Coast Science Center. At the
booth, our displays highlighted Chapter
membership, our Community Outreach programs,
and our Scholarship programs. At the table
are Fred Westfall and Dave Parisot.
2022
Our Outreach Efforts Are Noticed and
Appreciated by MOAA
The email below was received from MOAA
National
Major Parisot,
Thank you very much for providing this final
report for the Northwest Florida Chapter’s
2022 Community Outreach Grant.
We appreciate your detailed information
regarding the grant fund use in your report.
It was also great to see the photo/summaries
of the presentation of grant funds to the
representatives of Eglin AFB, Hurlburt
Field, and the Hurlburt Military & Family
Readiness Center – subsequently then
providing the commissary gift cards to those
who needed them most.
This information has been added to our
records, and we appreciate the continued
efforts and support that you and your
chapter members provide to those in the
military community each and every day.
We also passed along your kind message to
Amanda Centers, and know that she is looking
forward to the upcoming January 6th
presentation in Florida as well!
As a reminder, our 2023 Community Outreach
Grant application is currently open, and we
hope you will consider applying for a grant
before the application window closes on
February 28, 2023.
Please let us know if you have any
questions, and thank you again.
With thanks,
The MOAA Development Team
December
17: Participated
Participated in “Wreaths Across America” at
Beal Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach by
helping place holiday wreaths on Veterans’
gravesites; chapter members contributed $300
to the Choctawhatchee Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution to
purchase 20 wreaths “In Memory of Deceased
Members and Spouses of the NWFMOA”. (See
Defender articles for December 2022 and
January 2023)
November 11:
Chapter members & spouses
participated in Veterans Day services at
local cemeteries; Lt Col Frank Roberts gave
the history of and recited “On Flanders
Field” at the Beal Cemetery service (See
Defender article for December 2022
November 8 and 10:
Distributed 255 commissary gift cards valued
at $6,375 to the First Sergeants
Associations at Hurlburt Field, Eglin AFB,
and the 7th Special Forces Group
(A), and to the Military Family Readiness
Centers at Hurlburt Field and Duke Field.
(See Defender articles for December 2022)
September 1:
NWFMOA assisted the Greater Fort
Walton Beach with publicizing the 75th
Anniversary of the United States Air Force
on September 13th at Northwest
Florida State College.
NWFMOA used its Defender newsletter
and ‘e-mail blasts’ to members plus
announcement of the event at the Chapter
luncheon on September 1st. (See Defender for
September 2022)
August 5:
Led by Chapter First Vice
President Fran Hendricks, NWFMOA had a
“Spotlight Table” display and made a stage
presentation at the monthly First Friday
Breakfast of the Greater Fort Walton Beach
Chamber of Commerce, attended by over 250
local business members. (See Defender
article for September 2022)
July
7:
NWFMOA Scholarship Fund presented a
$4,000 scholarship to University of West
Florida AFROTC Cadet Colonel Blayne Johnson.
This scholarship was in memory of Deceased
Chapter member Lt. Gen. Leroy Manor, USAF,
Ret. (See Defender article for August 2022)
May 30:
Chapter members & spouses
participated in Memorial Day services at
local cemeteries.
Fourteen Chapter members and spouses
had passed away during the previous 12
months. (See Defender for May 2022)
May 5:
Held the annual Scholarship Luncheon
at the Fort Walton Yacht Club, attended by
85 Chapter members, JROTC scholarship
awardees, JROTC instructors, 2022 MOAA Medal
awardees, 11 local high school appointees to
military academies, and Business Gold
scholarship donors. (See Defender article
for June 2022)
April 19:
Received notification that MOAA Foundation
has awarded a community Outreach Grant of
$4,000 to purchase commissary gift cards to
be distributed to local airman and soldier
families in ranks of E-4 and below. This is
the 5th consecutive year our
chapter has received a grant from the MOAA
Foundation. (See Defender article for May
2022)
April 18:
Several Chapter members
attended the “Final Goblet Ceremony” of the
Doolittle Raiders at Northwest Florida State
College, when the goblet of the last
survivor of the Doolittle Raiders, Col.
Richard Cole, was inverted in the display
case by his son and daughter.
April 2:
Six Chapter members staffed our NWFMOA
information booth at the 50th
anniversary celebration of the 919th
Special Operations Group at Duke Field. (See
Defender for May 2022)
March:
NWFMOA assisted the Greater Fort Walton
Beach Chamber in publicizing the “Final
Goblet Ceremony” of the Doolittle Raiders
via ‘email blasts’ to Chapter members.
2021 :
November 11:
Several chapter members and spouses
attended Veterans Day services at local
cemeteries.
Chapter member Lt Col Frank Rogers
recited the poem “On Flanders Field” at the
Beal Cemetery service in Fort Walton Beach.
(See Defender for December 2021)
October 11:
NWFMOA Scholarship Fund Board of Directors
established the Educational Support Grant
(ESG) Program to provide grants of up to
$500 per year to local JROTC units who
request financial aid for otherwise unfunded
needs. (See Defender for November 2021)
August 23:
Charlotte Eschmann, wife of chapter
member Col. Karl Eschmann, was inducted into
the Hall of Fame by the Okaloosa County
commission on the Status of Women in the
Military category. (See Defender for October
2021)
May 31:
Several Chapter members and spouses
participated in Memorial Day services at
local cemeteries.
May 6:
The NWFMOA Scholarship Fund held its
annual Scholarship Awards luncheon at the
American Legion hall in Fort Walton Beach.
Eight scholarships totaling $21,500
were awarded to local JROTC cadets.
In addition, the 2021 MOAA Medals
were presented to seven junior-year JROTC
cadets, and a senior at Choctawhatchee High
School was recognized for her appointment to
the USAF academy. (See Defenders for May
2022 and June 2022)
April 15:
NWFMOA was awarded two MOAA
Foundation Community Outreach Grants
totaling $3,750.
A grant for Community Outreach was
for $2,500 and a MOAA COVID Relief Grant was
for $1,250.
The two grants will be combined to
purchase commissary gift card for local
active duty junior enlisted families in
ranks E-4 and below.
This is the 4th
consecutive year our Chapter has received
grants from the MOAA Foundation. (See
Defender for May 2021 and October 2021)
|
