President’s
Welcome
It is my honor to serve
as the 54th President of the
Northwest Florida Military Officers Association
(NWFMOA). Initially formed in 1959, the NWFMOA
Chapter has been an active participant in
matters affecting military personnel, their
families, and Veterans who live in our local
community. We pride ourselves on the fact, when
we hung up our uniforms, we didn’t stop serving.
My first introduction to
the NWFMOA Chapter was when I was assigned to
Eglin AFB as the 96th Air Base Wing
Commander, 2002-2004. I would attend the
Chapter’s monthly meetings and keep them
informed on what was happening at the base. This
was my first encounter with any Military Officer
Association of America (MOAA) Chapter. In
positions I held after leaving Eglin, I worked
very close with MOAA National and saw firsthand
their impact on protecting and securing military
benefits.
When I returned to Fort
Walton Beach area, I immediately sought
membership again in the NWFMOA Chapter. I was
ecstatic to be part of this group of men and
women who were making such a significant impact
in the lives of others. From their scholarship
program for graduating high school JROTC cadets
to commissary gift cards for junior enlisted
families, they were making a difference in our
community. Each of these programs continues to
grow each year, thereby impacting more people.
It is through the generosity of our members’
time, talents, and treasure, coupled with the
support of MOAA National and local entities, we
are able to do what we do as a Chapter.
As the 54th
President of the NWFMOA Chapter, I would like to
extend to you an invitation to check us out.
Google NWFMOA and look at our 5-star website, to
include our monthly award-winning newsletter,
The Defender. Make a reservation to join us
for our monthly lunch meeting…good food, great
comradery, and a guest speaker speaking on
topics of interest.
Our dues
are modest at $25 per year. For new members,
that covers the current year and the entire next
year. Please feel free to contact me at
president@nwfmoa.org for more information.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig
Gen, USAF Retired
President NWFMOA
April 8, 2025
"We Got Next"
Arguably from the beginning
of time, each elder generation has had concerns
about the younger generation as it comes of age.
Aristotle wrote about it in the 4th
Century BC. This has been a long-standing
concern.
I am certain if we think about our lives,
we too can remember our commitment and readiness
for what lied ahead for us was also questioned
by some. And just like the generations before
us, we persevered and proved our strength in
adversity. Having
met and spent time with members of the next
generation who are pursuing their calling to be
an officer in the military, I can emphatically
claim, they will meet the challenges that await
and will proudly add to the heritage of what it
takes and means to be an officer in the United
States military.
At the May NWFMOA luncheon
you can see firsthand what I have seen. There
you will see JROTC and ROTC Cadets from our area
and have an opportunity to engage with them
directly. Each of these young men and women have
distinguished themselves academically in the
classroom, through leadership opportunities
within their ROTC units and high schools, and in
voluntary service to their local communities.
They are an impressive group.
Each has applied to
colleges, been selected to attend, and be part
of that school’s ROTC program. Anticipated
fields of study range from Engineering, Computer
Science, and Cyber Security to Biochemistry,
Nursing, Physics, Kinesiology, and Nursing.
Many want
to fly airplanes, while others want to build
them. Having met with each of them after their
scholarship board interview, I can attest to
their readiness and desire to be part of the
Nation’s 1%--to lead the 1% who have committed
themselves to the defense of our Nation.
Therefore, when someone
expresses concern about the younger generation
of our Nation, please assure them that, based on
your observations, you are confident that our
future is secure. As a group, they are ready. As
a group, they proudly exclaim, “We Got Next!”
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President NWFMOA
March 15, 2025
Heroes Abound
Do you know what is one of
the great treasures of my daily life? It’s being
a member and current President of the Northwest
Florida Military Officers Association (NWFMOA).
The treasure comes in the form of being
associated with a group of men and women who
served our nation in uniform, during wartime and
peacetime, all while making great family
sacrifices. Each of you in my opinion is a hero.
Case in point. This past month (March luncheon
meeting), we had a presentation regarding
Operation Commando Saber (Misty) during the
Vietnam War. This presentation was orchestrated
by fellow NWFMOA members, Dan Brown (Misty 143)
and George Hanks (Misty 49). Joining them were
fellow Misty pilots, Guy Gruters (Misty 29) and
Gib Ahl (Misty 100). Gib gave the presentation.
It was outstanding. Each of us who heard the
presentation left with a better understanding
and appreciation of Misty, its pilots, and the
contribution they made to the war effort. Talk
about heroes!
Side note:
While on a Misty flight, Guy was shot down and
taken prisoner. He would remain a POW for over 5
years until freed at the end of the Vietnam War.
Guy lives in Ohio, is a “snowbird”, and chose to
become a member of NWFMOA at the March meeting.
Welcome aboard Guy Gruters and his beautiful
bride Sandra!
On the day after our monthly luncheon, I had the
distinct pleasure to visit with fellow NWFMOA
members, Jake and Kathy Bush. Jake is 102 years
old and is the Senior Elder of our chapter. As a
young Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, Jake
flew the Berlin Airlift. It was a delightful
visit. Kathy, Jake and I had a fabulous
conversation across many subjects (Berlin
Airlift, the birth of the USAF, how they met,
and eventually married). I was once again in the
presence of two heroes. Prior to leaving, I had
the great honor to present each of them with
their NWFMOA 65th Anniversary Commemorative
Coin.
Both the Misty presentation
and the conversation with the Jake and Kathy is
reflective of the richness of our chapter and
its members. Each of you has a compelling sorry
to tell. Each of you is a hero. I am always in
awe when I learn something new about you. I
encourage each of you to consider sharing some
part of your military service with the chapter.
These stories, your stories, are the living
history of our military. By you telling your
story, we can capture your first-person,
eyewitness account and share these stories with
others, even after we are all called home.
As a NWFMOA member, it is
my privilege to serve where heroes abound. I
thank each of you for your service and the
sacrifices you made. I also look forward to you
sharing your story--NWFMOA has a treasure chest
full of life experiences. Please consider
sharing yours.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
February 12, 2025
2025 – Celebrating 66
Years of Service to the Community
I recently had the pleasure
to attend the Florida Council and Chapters
(FCoC) Training Seminar and Florida MOAA State
Convention. While there, I engaged presidents
from other chapters across the state as well as
presidents from neighboring states who were also
attending. We openly shared best practices and
lessons learned. I also attended numerous
training sessions led by MOAA National and FCOC
individuals. All in all, it was a great
conference—learned a lot.
Also in attendance were the
President of MOAA National, Lt Gen Brian Kelly
and his wife. Both made it a point to thank
NWFMOA for their visit in September. They openly
shared with all how impressed they were with the
chapter and our community. They made a point to
recall some of the events we hosted, and they
asked about specific people they met.
The highlight of the
training seminar/state convention for me was
hearing the names of three of our fellow chapter
members being announced as FCoC Leadership Award
recipients. Those individuals were Bob Gramm,
Ray Alexander, and Bob Allen - each is truly
deserving of this recognition. It was my honor
to receive the awards on their behalf from
General Kelly and Colonel Steve Bond, US Army
Retired, President FCoC.
Bob Allen and Ray Alexander
were presented their certificates at the NWFMOA
February luncheon. Bob Gramm, who is presently
on travel, will receive his certificate at a
future chapter luncheon. Please join me in
congratulating them on their well deserved
recognition.
Here to Serve,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
January 13 , 2025
NWFMOA Establishes New Goals for 2025
The new NWFMOA Board has been installed and is
committed to building on prior year successes.
2025 marks 66 years we have served the community
while embracing a mantra of Comradery with
Purpose. The Board has approved its Goals and
Tasks for 2025. A quick summary of the 2025
Goals and Tasks follows:
Goal #1…Membership: Increase Chapter membership
by 10 new members. Utilizing our various
categories of membership (Regular, Auxiliary,
Associate, and Honorary), we are confident we
can attain this goal with candidates who share
the same sense of purpose our Chapter was built
on. Also included in Goal #1…we will host
Officer Calls every month there is a fifth
Thursday. In fact, our first Officer Call will
be Thursday, January 30 / 1700 hours at Cheers
in Shalimar.
Goal #2… Financial…Be fiscally smart with the
Chapter’s funds, thereby finishing the year in
the black. We will once again have a banner on
our webpage that individuals, organizations, and
businesses can post their picture or logo
congratulating NWFMOA for their 66 years
supporting the community. These funds will be
used primarily to support our Community Outreach
Programs.
Goal #3…Military Ball…Host our annual Military
Ball in December.
Goal #4…Community Outreach…Continue to conduct
Valentines for Veterans, Military Family
Appreciation Day, Junior Enlisted Gift Cards,
and Wreaths Across America, while also looking
for new opportunities to support our local
community. We will continue to partner with
other likeminded organizations in support of our
shared purposes.
Goal #5…Model MOAA Chapter…Be a recognized
leader in the State (FCoC) and MOAA. We will
submit our annual chapter LOA and Harris
Communication Awards with the intent to earn
5-star awards for each. We will seek appropriate
recognition for deserving Chapter members.
Goal #6…Legislative Affairs…Actively support
MOAA and local legislative issues. Call to
Action emails, coupled with the Legislative
Minute at our monthly chapter meetings and the
Legislative Corner in our monthly newsletter
(The Defender) will be used again to define an
ongoing issue and inspire action.
2025 is going to be another historic year for
NWFMOA as we celebrate 66 years since our
founding in 1959. We are already off to a great
start thanks to the untiring efforts of many.
For those looking for ways to become more
involved, we welcome your involvement. Feel free
to contact me or any Board member.
Here to Serve,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
NWFMOA, President
December 14, 2024
2024 - Celebrating 65 Years of Service
to the Community
As we look forward to our 66th year of serving
those who are presently serving, those who have
served, as well as those who have expressed a
desire to serve, I thought I would give a quick
summary of the year that just closed out. 2024
was a special year for NWFMOA as we celebrated
65 years as a Chapter. Following is some of the
highlights from this memorable year. As we have
in the past, we will continue to build upon
these impactful events as we strive to make a
difference in the lives of others in 2025.
Year 2024 in Review:
Increase the awareness of being a NWFMOA Member
-
Free lunch during our member’s birth month
continues to be well received.
-
Monthly trivia question in The Defender…get
it correct and have your name drawn at the
next meeting to win a free lunch. Must be
present to win. (This is just one of the
many contributions made by Fred Westfall).
-
Added Mascot of the Month feature to The
Defender (An opportunity to share a picture
of your pet).
-
Members shared personal stories about their
careers in our Member Spotlight feature in
The Defender. (I encourage everyone to take
advantage of this. In addition to
enlightening us all, your feature becomes
part of our Chapter repository and lore).
Membership
-
Added 22 new Members.
-
Hosted Officer Calls…great time and place to
share stories from our time in uniform.
(Kudos to Dick Solt for leading this
effort).
-
The Annual Military Ball was a resounding
success. Karl Eschmann spearheaded the event
and was helped by several Members...Dave
Swanick, Fred Westfall, and numerous others
who donated items for the auction. Money
raised will be used to fund Chapter
Community Outreach initiatives in 2025.
Increase Community Outreach Impact
-
Partnered with Longwood Elementary School
and Bob Hope Village for our 2nd Annual
Valentines for Veterans celebration…over 200
handmade Valentine Cards were made and
delivered by the Longwood 2nd Graders to
residents of Bob Hope Village.
-
Awarded $39,500 in scholarships. (Great job
NWFMOA Scholarship Fund Board)
-
Participated in FWB Chamber’s Military
Family Appreciation Day at the Landing. We
partnered with Zaxby’s and offered
restaurant gift card to winners of our
cornhole game.
-
Applied for and received a $3,000 MOAA
Foundation Grant to purchase Commissary Gift
Cards for Junior Enlisted Families. During
the first four years of this initiative, we
reached a total of 898 junior enlisted
families. We reached 300 families in 2023.
In 2024, we leverage the $3,000 MOAA
Foundation grant and raised an additional
$7,000 thereby allowing us to reach 400
junior enlisted families—100 additional
families this year! (The MOAA Foundation,
NWFMOA Members, and the local community are
commended for their generosity which enabled
this incredible success).
-
We hosted a Community Reception to thank the
community for partnering with NWFMOA for 65
years as we served the community. Gen and
Mrs. Brian Kelly, MOAA President, and COL
Steve Bond, Florida Council and Chapters
(FCoC) President also attended. Governor
DeSantis, Senators Rubio and Scott, Rep
Gaetz, State Rep and NWFMOA Member, Patt
Maney, Okaloosa County Commissioners, and
many local Mayors sent proclamations and
letters congratulating the Chapter for its
service over the past 65 years. The event
was well attended.
-
Purchased 100 wreaths through the Daughters
of the American Revolution (DAR)/Wreaths
Across America and helped placed them on the
graves of Veterans buried in Beal Memorial
Cemetery.
Be a Recognized Leader in Florida and with MOAA
National
-
3 Chapter Members were recognized with FCoC
Leadership Awards (George Hanks, Jim Shoff,
and Dick Solt).
-
Chapter earned MOAA’s highest award (5-Star
Award) for its Newsletter. (Congratulations
to 2023 Defender Editor Fred Westfall)
-
The Chapter earned MOAA’s highest award
(5-Star Award) for its Webpage.
(Congratulations Fred Westfall, Webmaster)
-
The Chapter earned MOAA’s highest award
(5-Star Award) for the Chapter.
(Congratulations to one and all).
-
Karl Eschmann was awarded the DAR
Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award and Les
Matheson was awarded the DAR Bronze Medal of
Distinction.
-
State Rep/Retired Judge/Retired BG Patt
Maney was awarded the Boy Scouts’ highest
honor for an Eagle Scout, the Distinguished
Eagle Scout Award.
Our Chapter continues to do well thanks to the
hard work of many. I want to especially thank
the Board (Karl Eschmann, Jeff Watson, Fred
Westfall, Doug Stauffer, Ray Alexander, Bob
Allen, Bob Gramm, Michael Griffith, Kevin Kirby,
and Dick Solt) for their leadership and help in
guiding our Chapter. In 2025, we will once again
build on the excellence the Chapter is known
for. Please plan to join us as we once again
demonstrate Comradery with Purpose.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig
Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
November 15, 2024
Program
Celebrates Its Fifth Year Making
a Difference
in the Lives of Junior Enlisted Families in Need
This year marks the
fifth year that the NWFMOA Chapter has issued
Commissary gift cards at Thanksgiving to junior
enlisted families in need. This initiative was
Dave Parisot’s idea. Dave initially applied for
a MOAA Foundation Grant to host a breakfast for
Veterans at a local restaurant. The MOAA
Foundation approved his grant application.
The plan was the
restaurant would prepare the food and serve it,
while Chapter members would help. Then the
unforeseen happened…COVID. The breakfast was
cancelled. Dave then looked for a different way
to spend the grant he had secured.
The initial thought was
to purchase food and build food baskets. That
idea was soon revised to providing a gift card
to the Commissary and letting the recipient pick
the food they wanted. Consequently, the
Commissary Gift Card Program for Junior Enlisted
serving in area was launched. Each gift card is
for $25.
Working hand in hand
with the First Sergeants assigned to Eglin,
Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, Camp Bull Simons,
and the Hurlburt Airman and Family Readiness
Center, NWFMOA has purposely assisted Junior
Enlisted Airmen and Soldiers at Thanksgiving.
Through the generosity of our members, the
community, and other Veteran Support
Organizations, we have steadily increased the
number of Commissary gift cards we purchase each
year. We did this because of feedback received
from the First Sergeants. They shared that while
the gift cards were both well received and made
a difference in the lives of the recipients, the
available gift cards ran out long before the
need was met. This year, we will present 340
Commissary gift cards to the First Sergeants for
distribution to Junior Enlisted families in
need. This is an increase of 40 additional gift
cards from last year and 140 additional gift
cards from when we first launched this
initiative. This is all possible because we once
again applied for and received a MOAA Foundation
Grant. This grant coupled with your and the
community’s generosity and the redirecting of
our monthly luncheon’s 50/50 drawing to support
this program has enabled us to raise the needed
funds to further expand the program’s reach.
Once again, we will be
inviting the First Sergeants to join us for
lunch in January where they will share their
observations of the program and its impact.
Looking ahead to 2025,
we will again apply for a MOAA Foundation Grant,
and we will continue to designate the monthly
50/50 for this specific Community Outreach
Program. We will accept donations year-round by
check, cash, or electronic funds transfers via
our website. Please know, every $25 donated
directly impacts one junior enlisted family in
need.
Thank you again for
making this program a success and a hallmark of
our Chapter’s credo to Never Stop Serving.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
October 16, 2024
Ring the Bell
On Tuesday, September
16, 2024, the local Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) gave me the great honor to
speak at their annual Constitution Week
Celebration and to participate in the ringing of
the bells. This tradition of ringing the bells
dates from 1788 when the US Constitution was
ratified. The ringing of church bells was the
method used by the delegates to inform the
people about their new form of government. In
1955, President Eisenhower issued a proclamation
designating September 17-23 as Constitution
Week. A week to reflect on the following
objectives:
• Emphasize citizen’s responsibilities for protecting and
defending the Constitution.
• Inform people that the Constitution is the basis for America’s
great heritage and the foundation for our way of
life.
• Encourage the study of the historical events which led to
the framing of the Constitution in September
1787.
As has been the case since December 15, 1788,
and every four years thereafter, it is time to
elect our next president and Commander in Chief.
I encourage everyone to do their civic duty, do
your own research regarding the candidates, and
participate in this endeavor by voting. Our
founding fathers established this process so
each of us has a say in who will be our
president and our elected representatives.
Neither MOAA nor NWFMOA endorses any candidate
for public office at any level. We are by rule,
focus, and action nonpartisan. We work with
whomever is elected to safeguard the benefits
promised or rightly earned through military
service. Be part of the process and ring the
bell.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
September 13, 2024
MOAA President Visits NWFMOA
Gen Brian Kelly,
President and CEO, MOAA National and his wife
Garrety visited NWFMOA as part of the Chapter’s
65th Anniversary celebration. Also joining Gen
Kelly was COL Steve Bond, President, Florida
MOAA Council and Chapters.
Their visit started out
early with breakfast with fellow NWFMOA Member
“Westy” Westenbarger and the Crispy Warriors.
This group of warriors (of which many are NWFMOA
Members) meets every Thursday morning at
Crackings for breakfast. Gen Kelly addressed the
group and enjoyed the comradery of this special
group.
From there, we
proceeded to Bob Hope Village for the Victory
Village briefing and tour of the facility. Chief
Brooke McLean, President and CEO, Air Force
Enlisted Village, provided the briefing and the
tour. Chief McLean mentioned the special
relationship Bob Hope Village has with NWFMOA
and its annual Valentines for Veterans
celebration.
Gen Kelly attended our
monthly luncheon, engaged our members during the
social period, and addressed the Chapter as our
guest speaker. He addressed matters MOAA is
working, welcomed our questions, and provided
answers to our questions.
Next up was a town hall
at the Veteran Foreign Wars Post 7674 where he
again spoke on items of interest of those
gathered. He also welcomed their questions and
provided answers.
The Community Reception
was held that evening at the Air Force Armament
Museum. Attendees included Brig Gen Mark
Massaro, 96 TW/CC, and his wife Becky, numerous
Mayors, County Commissioners, Active Duty
personnel, AFJROTC Cadets, representatives from
likeminded Veteran Organizations, and members of
NWFMOA. Jeff Watson was the MC and kept
everything on track. The Eglin Honor Guard
presented the colors. One highlight of the event
was Al Stearns and the Emerald Coast Chorus
performing a musical tribute. I gave a summary
of the impact the Chapter has had on the
community this past year. During Gen Kelly’s
keynote address he congratulated NWFMOA on its
65th Anniversary of serving the community. We
concluded the evening with Dave Parisot and Fred
Westfall, recent National MOAA President
Leadership Award recipients, cutting the
ceremonial cake. Although not present, George
Colton was also acknowledged as a recent
National MOAA President Leadership Award
recipient.
The next morning, Gen
Kelly addressed members of the Fort Walton Beach
Chamber at their First Friday Coffee. He then
toured the Women’s Veteran Memorial Park before
heading to the airport for his trip home.
Thank you to all who
made this visit something the General and his
wife won’t soon forget, especially Fred Westfall
who captured the entire visit in photos.
Congratulations NWFMOA on 65 years of serving
the community and making a difference in the
lives of others.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
August 14, 2024
A
Special Request…Share Your Story
For 65 years our
chapter has made its presence felt in the
community. We have reminded our local community
through our actions that even though we have
hung up our uniforms, we are still leading and
making a difference in the lives of others. We
have been there for our members’ surviving
spouses and for each other. We have changed
lives through our scholarship program and
commissary gift card program at Thanksgiving to
name just a few of our community outreach
initiatives. Each of you has demonstrated your
commitment to Never Stop Serving. Thank
you from a grateful community.
If I may be so bold, I do have a request for
each of you on behalf of our chapter, current
and future. I want you to share your individual
story. In 500 words or less, I want you to
provide a snapshot of what you did in uniform.
It could be an overview of your time in the
service, a specific event you took part in, or
even a “there I was” funny story. Photos of you
in uniform are also greatly appreciated. It will
put a face to the story being told.
Why am I asking for this? I am requesting this
for several reasons. One, so we as a chapter can
know a little more about each other. Secondly,
in capturing these stories, we provide a window
for future NWFMOA chapter members to be
introduced to each of us. Your story will become
part of a larger living document, a memoir of
the men and women who came together under the
NWFMOA banner. Your story will be published as a
feature in The Defender
appropriately titled…Member Spotlight. By
publishing Member’s Spotlights, we will create a
repository of memories that will otherwise be
lost when we are gone.
All are encouraged to participate. Please send
your story to
Fred Westfall. If you have
more than one story to share…great! Send as many
as you want. Please be mindful of the feature’s
length…again 500 or less words per story. Thank
you for considering this request.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
July 10, 2024
MOAA President to Visit
NWFMOA
Lt Gen
Brian Kelly, USAF Retired, President, MOAA will
visit NWFMOA from 4-6 September. General
Kelly is coming to celebrate our 65th
Anniversary and to congratulate the chapter on
its many accomplishments. There will be numerous
opportunities for Chapter Members to engage him
directly. He will be our guest speaker at our
September luncheon, Thursday September 5th.
That evening we will host a community reception
at the Air Force Armament Museum from 1800-2000.
A more detailed itinerary of his visit follows.
Wednesday,
September 4, 2024
Thursday,
September 5, 2024
-
0700
Crispy Warrior Breakfast at
Cracklings, Destin (Group of Veterans (all
Services/Ranks) that meet every Thursday
morning for breakfast)
-
0930
Victory Village Brief (Air Force
Enlisted Village/Bob Hope Village)
-
1130 NWFMOA Monthly Luncheon (Fort Walton
Yacht Club)
-
1400
All Hands Call…address local retirees
and Veterans on MOAA’s Areas of Focus and
Accomplishments (Location TBD)
-
1600
Free Time (Activities as Desired)
-
1800
NWFMOA 65th Anniversary
Reception (Air Force Armament Museum)
-
Speak
(20 Minutes)
Friday,
September 6, 2024
I am excited for Gen Kelly to meet each
of you and to see firsthand why the NWFMOA is
one of his 5-Star Chapters.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
June 15, 2024
2024 Mid-Year Progress
Report
As we enter the second half of 2024, our 65th
year serving the community, I thought I would
give a brief recap of what we have done and what
we have scheduled for the second half of the
year.
January…The
NWFMOA Board was sworn in. First Sergeants from
our surrounding installations joined us for
lunch in January and provided feedback regarding
the impact of the Commissary Gift Cards for
Junior Enlisted Families. RECAP: Through your
generous donations and those of other likeminded
military associations, Chamber of Commerce
Military Affairs Councils, and local businesses
coupled with a $1,800 grant from the MOAA
Foundation, we purchased 300 $25 Commissary gift
cards (totaling $7,500) and had the First
Sergeants distributed them to Junior Enlisted
Families in need. We participated in the
American Legion’s Oratorical Scholarship program
as guest judges and tabulators. Also in January,
NWFMOA Members began receiving their 65th
Anniversary Commemorative Coins. If you haven’t
received yours yet, all you need to do is attend
a NWFMOA event. Each coin is numbered.
February…We held
our first of four Officers Calls at Doc’s Oyster
Bar. For planning purposes, every month that
there is a fifth Thursday, we will hold an
Officers Call. We conducted our Second Annual
Valentines for Veterans tribute at Bob Hope
Village in conjunction with Longwood Elementary
School. We submitted a grant proposal in support
of our Junior Enlisted Gift Card Program to the
MOAA Foundation.
March…We
were notified by MOAA National that the Chapter,
Website, and our newsletter (The Defender)
received its highest rating…5 Stars for 2023. We
submitted our 2023 Level of Excellence
submissions to MOAA National for 2023.
April…We
once again participated in the Fort Walton Beach
Chamber of Commerce’s Military Family
Appreciation Day at the Landing. This year we
partnered with Zaxby’s and gave away gift cards
to their restaurant. Our partnership with
Longwood Elementary expanded to our
participating in their Read Across America
program. We participated in seven local high
schools JRTOTC Award Ceremonies where we
recognized deserving Cadets in front of their
families, teachers, and fellow Cadets. We
introduced a new feature in The Defender…Mascot
of the Month. We welcome all pets to be
featured…just send us a photo of your pet.
May…We
held our Annual Scholarship Luncheon where we
recognized 10 JROTC and 2 ROTC Cadets with
scholarships totaling $39,500. At the Florida
Council of Chapters Annual Convention, NWFMOA
was recognized again as a premier MOAA Chapter
earning 5-Star Awards for the Chapter, our
newsletter (The Defender), and website for 2023.
We held our second Officers Call at Doc’s Oyster
Bar.
June…Our
June meeting fell on the 80th Anniversary of
D-Day. It was truly fitting that our lunch
speaker, Lt Col Steve Snow, USAF Retired, former
Air Force One pilot, shared during his
presentation pictures of him being at Normandy
with President Reagan for the 40th Anniversary.
Fellow NWFMOA Members Jeff Watson and Al Bills
were in France during the 80th Anniversary. The
MOAA Foundation notified us we were awarded a
$3,000 grant for our Junior Enlisted Gift Card
Program. In our grant submission, we stated we
would match their grant award amount. All
proceeds from our monthly 50/50 will go towards
this specific community outreach endeavor. Thank
you in advance for your continued generosity.
As we look to the second half of
the year, our 65th Anniversary, we have more
great speakers on tap, two more officer calls,
our Junior Enlisted Gift Card Program at
Thanksgiving, Wreaths Across America, our Annual
Military Ball, and a visit by the MOAA National
President. I look forward to joining you at each
of these events.
H2S
(Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
May 11, 2024
Lead, Follow, or Get
the Hell Out of the Way
There is absolutely no
place for antisemitism and “death to America and
Israel” chants in the United States I revere. As
a former university president, I am concerned
with what is happening at some of our
colleges and universities. I am concerned that
some of my former colleagues have
surrendered their positions of trust and
leadership to the threat of being cancelled…Heavy
is the head that wears the crown. If they
believe in antisemitism and the destruction of
America, or they are not strong enough to stand
up and fight against it, then it’s time for them
to resign. Being a college president is a huge
responsibility and it is not for the weak-kneed.
Families send their children to college with the
intent to get an education that will prepare
them for their chosen profession. While there,
they can expect their children will meet
individuals from vastly different backgrounds
and experiences. This is the part of the college
experience that prepares them for the world
beyond what they have been exposed to thus far
in their young lives. This is where a greater
view of the world is formed, and you learn to
navigate discourse. This is the true college
experience.
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting
individually with each JROTC cadet who applied
for one of our scholarships after their
interviews with the scholarship board. We talked
about what to expect during their first year in
college…everything from classes to student
activities. And how important it is to get the
full college experience without falling prey to
going along with the crowd to fit in. To have
the courage to say no when everyone else is
saying yes. We talked about the military that
awaits them upon their commissioning and their
role as future leaders. I bluntly reminded them
that being an ROTC cadet indicates a desire to
serve in the military as an officer and that
career opportunity could be lost if they didn’t
recognize when it is time to leave or dissent
when things get stupid or challenge your moral
compass.
Without any reservation, I can report each of
the cadets is ready for the rigors of college
and the unique requirements of ROTC. I am
confident these cadets will rise to the occasion
and do what is right when faced with the
challenges that await each of them. They are
ready for take their next step towards preparing
to lead the one percent who commit to defending
our liberty and freedom.
College presidents facing unrest on their
campuses would be well served to embrace the
core values of their respective ROTC units and
the leadership example of their cadets. It’s
time for all college presidents to lead, follow,
or get the hell out of the way.
Here to Serve (H2S),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
April 13, 2024
NWFMOA Scores 5 Stars Across the Board
MOAA National has announced its 2023 Harris
Communication Awards and its Level of Excellence
Awards. Northwest Florida Military Officer
Association received 5 Star Awards for its
website, newsletter (The Defender),
and the Chapter. The 5 Star Award is MOAA’s
highest level of recognition and is awarded
annually.
This marks the seventh straight year NWFMOA has
received a 5 Star Harris Communication Award for
its website and a five Star Harris Communication
Award for its newsletter.
Congratulations to Fred Westfall who has been
our webmaster for this entire run. He arguably
has built and maintains the best website in
MOAA.
Congratulations to all who contributed to The
Defender in 2023. Worthy of special recognition
are Fred Westfall (Defender Editor) and monthly
contributors Dave Parisot (NWFMOA Scholarship
Fund, Community Outreach, Legislative Forum),
Tom Azar and Ray Alexander (Chaplain’s Corner),
Dan Brown (Ads)—your authored features and
photos have made The Defender a must read and a
historical repository of the Chapter’s
activities and member recognition.
To the 2023 NWFMOA Board (Karl Eschmann, George
Colton, Fred Westfall, Ray Alexander, Bob Allen,
Bob Gramm, and Dick Solt), this grand
achievement of a 5 Star Level of Excellence
Award was accomplished on your
watch—congratulations to all on a job well done.
This marks the ninth time since 2014 that the
Chapter has been awarded a 5 Star Level of
Excellence designation. (The Chapter did not
submit for a LOE award in 2019 due to COVID).
To all my fellow NWFMOA Chapter Members, it’s an
honor to be associated with a group of men and
women committed to Camaraderie with Purpose. To
be named among the handful of MOAA Chapters
nationwide to be recognized with three 5 Star
Awards is a significant accomplishment and
indicative of your untiring commitment to
excellence and service. Thank you for the
opportunity you have afforded me to serve as our
Chapter’s President.
In closing I draw upon the Navy SEAL axiom…the
only easy day was yesterday. Now, we train our
focus on sustaining this level of excellence as
we continue to make a difference in the lives of
those who have served, are presently serving, or
have indicated a desire to serve. 2024 is
NWFMOA’s next great year!
H2S
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President
April 13, 2024
Your Chapter
Needs You!
The Northwest Florida
Military Officers Association, first formed in
1959, has distinguished itself as a difference
maker in our community for 65 years. That
difference maker has changed lives as seen in
our numerous community outreach
initiatives…Commissary Gift Cards to Junior
Enlisted families at Thanksgiving, purchasing
and placing wreaths on Veterans graves at Beal
Memorial Cemetery, providing clothing to our
homeless Veterans, and awarding scholarships to
graduating JROTC and college ROTC Cadets
pursuing a commission. The success of these
initiatives is because we are part of a Chapter
that cares and is willing to step up,
contribute, and lead when call upon. It is for
these reasons I come to you now…your Chapter
needs you!
Your Chapter needs to fill
several key leadership positions. We need a
Treasurer. Our current Treasurer, Bill Hunter,
is PCSing to the Washington, DC area to fill a
key position in the DoD.
This is a short-fused request for
backfill as Bill was just hired and needs to be
in place by early May. Bill’s replacement will
find the books financially sound, squared away,
and processes and procedures in place for a
smooth handoff and continued operation.
We also need to fill the
following positions held by Fred Westfall by the
end of the year—Secretary, Web Master, Editor of
the Defender, Monthly Lunch Coordinator, and
Event Photographer.
Fred has done these jobs superbly for 10
years. He has created templates for each
position thereby making the transition for his
replacement seamless.
I can assure you that
raising your hand to assume any of these
positions will greatly help the Chapter and will
be self-gratifying. You will become a part of a
great Board charged with ensuring we continue to
make a difference in the lives of our members
and the community we serve. Also, the view is
spectacular from these positions. You will be a
key part of the decision-making process as we
strive to be the very best in our quest of
Comradery with Purpose.
I respectfully request you
consider this as a personal invitation from me
to fill one of these key positions because
Your Chapter
Needs You!
Here to Serve (H2S),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
March 13, 2024
Military Family
Appreciation Day
On Saturday, April 20th,
the NWFMOA will once again participate in the
Annual Military Family Appreciation Day at the
Fort Walton Beach Landing. This annual event is
hosted by the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of
Commerce and will commence at 11 AM and end at 5
PM.
Unlike in past years where
we had just an information booth, this year we
will have an interactive game for all to
participate in while we inform them of the
Chapter’s rich history in making a difference in
the lives of others who have served, are
presently serving, or who have expressed an
interest in serving. The game we will be playing
is abridged corn hole. Rather than playing a
complete game to 21 points, each contestant will
get three attempts to land one bag in the hole.
If they do so, we will capture their name for
drawings on the hour (noon, 1 pm, 2pm…5pm) for a
family gift card to a local restaurant. Must be
present to win. If during their three tries they
don’t get a bag in the hole, but do land a bag
on the corn hole table, they will receive a
discount food coupon from Zaxby’s. Thank you to
the Fort Walton Beach Chamber for orchestrating
this partnership with Zaxby’s. When the Chamber
told Zaxby’s who we are, what we do in the
community, and that we were looking for a
restaurant to partner with, Zaxby’s said, “We
would love to partner with the NWFMOA”.
Volunteers to man the
NWFMOA corn hole booth are needed. Shifts will
be from 11AM to 1PM; 1PM to 3PM; and 3pm to 5pm.
Please consider coming out and being part of the
fun. Please contact Fred Westfall or me if you
are interested. Thank you.
Here to Serve (H2S),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
February 16, 2024
65th
Anniversary Celebration - MOAA President to
Visit Chapter
Last year while
attending the Florida Council of Chapters (FCoC)
Leadership Training Seminar in January, I
mentioned to Lt Gen Brian Kelly, USAF Retired,
and President of MOAA that NWFMOA would be
celebrating its 65th Anniversary in 2024 and we
would be honored for him to come and celebrate
with us. He stated that he would do his best to
be there. Fast forward to this year’s FCoC
Leadership Training Seminar, where I presented
Gen Kelly a formal invitation to visit our
Chapter in May as we celebrate our 65 years
serving the community. Gen Kelly accepted our
invitation. His proposed itinerary includes
breakfast with the Crispy Warriors, attending
our Annual Scholarship Luncheon, visiting the
Air Force Enlisted Village to receive the
Victory Village briefing, office calls, and
giving the keynote address at our 65th
Anniversary Reception at the Air Force Armament
Museum on the evening of May 2nd. Plenty of
opportunities for members of NWFMOA to interact
with our National President and for him to see
our Chapter up close and personal. More to
follow…
NWFMOA Awarded 5-Star
Level of Excellence (LOE) Award (2022)
The Chapter was recently
notified that it was awarded a 5-Star LOE Award
for 2022. This marks the eight 5-Star Award that
NWFMOA has received since 2014. Congratulations
to then Chapter President Michael Griffith, his
Board, and the entire Chapter. This award
combined with the two previously received 5-Star
Harris Communication Awards for our newsletter
(The Defender) and our Website (thank you Fred
Westfall) clearly indicates we had a great and
impactful 2022. Congratulations to all!
NWFMOA Award Submissions
for 2023
The Chapter recently
submitted its submissions for the Harris
Communication Awards (Newsletter and Website)
and the Level of Excellence Award for 2023. You
can read those submissions
HERE.
We are now focused on
building upon those prior successes while we
also celebrate our 65 years of serving the
community. NWFMOA …Comradery
with Purpose.
Here to Serve (H2S),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
January 9, 2024
Comradery With
a Purpose
The new NWFMOA Board
has been installed and is charging hard to make
this 65th Anniversary Year a memorable one.
Building on the prior 65 years of
Comradery with Purpose, the Board
has approved its Goals and Tasks for 2024. A
quick summary of the 2024 Goals and Tasks
follows:
Goal #1…Membership:
Increase Chapter membership by 25 new members.
With the recently approved bylaws expanding the
categories of membership to include Regular,
Auxiliary, Associate, and Honorary, we are
confident we can attain this goal with
candidates who share the same sense of purpose
our Chapter was built on. Last year we added 23
new members to the Chapter. Also included in
Goal #1…we will host Officer Calls every month
there is a fifth Thursday. In fact, our first
Officer Call will be Thursday, Feb 29 at Doc’s
Oyster Bar in Valparaiso. Later in the year, we
plan to challenge the local Junior Officers to
the NWFMOA Open—mini (or goofy) golf tournament.
Goal #2…
Financial…Be fiscally smart with the Chapter’s
funds, thereby finishing the year in the black.
The Board set goals to raise $1,000 in Defender
ad revenue and $1,000 in 65th Anniversary Banner
revenue. These funds will be used primarily to
support our Community Outreach Programs and
offset any costs associated with the 65th
Anniversary.
Goal #3…Military
Ball…Host our annual Military Ball in December.
Goal #4…Community
Outreach…Continue to conduct Valentines for
Veterans, Junior Enlisted Gift Cards, and
Wreaths Across America, while also looking for
new opportunities to support our local
community. We will continue to partner with
other likeminded organizations in support of our
shared purposes.
Goal #5…Model MOAA
Chapter…Be a recognized leader in the State
(FCoC) and MOAA.
We will submit our annual chapter LOA and Harris
Communication Awards with the intent to earn
5-star awards for each. We will seek appropriate
recognition for deserving Chapter members.
Goal #6…65th
Anniversary…Celebrate our 65th Anniversary
throughout the year. Present each active Chapter
member with a 65th Anniversary Commemorative
Coin. Host a 65th Anniversary celebration event
at the Air Force Armament Museum. Sponsors for
the event will be sought with the intent that
this function be free to the public. Tentative
date is Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Goal #7…Legislative
Affairs…Actively support MOAA and local
legislative issues. Call to Action emails will
be used again to define the issue and inspire
action.
2024 is going
to be a historic year for NWFMOA as we celebrate
65 years since our founding in 1959. We are
already off to a great start thanks to the
untiring efforts of many. For those looking for
ways to become more involved, we welcome your
involvement. Feel free to contact me or any
Board member.
Here to Serve,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
NWFMOA, President
December
16, 2023
2023 In Review
Well, as we start this historic new year for the
NWFMOA Chapter, our 65th, I thought I
would give a quick summary of the year that just
closed out. 2023 was a special year for NWFMOA
as you will see in all that we accomplished as a
Chapter. The year and the direction we pursued
can best be summed up as Comradery With
Purpose. Here are some of the highlights
from 2023. As we have in the past, we will
continue to build upon these impactful events as
we strive to make a difference in the lives of
others as we celebrate 65 years of serving our
local community in 2024.
Year 2023 in Review:
Increase the awareness of being a NWFMOA Member
-
Implemented free luncheon meal during
Member’s birth month.
-
Monthly trivia question in The Defender…get
it correct and have your name drawn
at the next meeting to win a free lunch.
Must be present to win. (This is just one of
the many contributions made by Fred
Westfall).
-
Created a calendar of events…posted on
NWFMOA Webpage.
-
Launched our Facebook page. (Huge kudos to
Jim Shoff for making this happen). Everyone
is invited to post information that you feel
is important to NWFMOA. We welcome pictures
and stories from the past and present. This
is our page to communicate with each other
and the community.
Membership
-
Added 23 new Members.
-
Established New Member Welcome Aboard
feature in The Defender.
-
Established Member Spotlight feature
in The Defender.
-
Hosted Officer Calls…great time and place to
share stories from our time in uniform.
(Kudos to Dick Solt for leading this
effort).
-
The Annual Military Ball was a resounding
success. Karl Eschmann spearheaded the event
and was helped by several Members...Dave
Swanick, Dave Parisot, George Colton, Fred
Westfall, and numerous others who donated
items for the auction. Money raised will be
used to fund Chapter initiatives in 2024.
Increase Community Outreach Impact
-
Partnered with Longwood Elementary School
and Bob Hope Village and initiated
Valentines for Veterans…125 handmade
Valentine Cards were made and delivered by
the Longwood 2nd Graders to
residents of Bob Hope Village.
-
Awarded $29,500 in scholarships. (Great job
NWFMOA Scholarship Fund)
-
Participated in FWB Chamber’s Veterans
Appreciation at the Landing.
-
Applied for and received two MOAA National
Grants. Was one of only four Chapters
nationwide to receive two grants. (Huge
kudos to Dave Parisot for writing and
submitting the grant application).
-
Received a $2,300 grant for the Veteran
Standdown. Outfitted 58 Veterans with
jeans, hoodies, underwear, socks, hats,
and gloves.
-
Received a $1,500 grant to purchase
Commissary Gift Cards at Thanksgiving
for E-4 and Below families. During the
first three years of this initiative, we
reached a total of 598 junior enlisted
families. In 2023, we leverage the
$1,500 grant and raised an additional
$6,000 thereby allowing us to reach 300
junior enlisted families. (MOAA
Foundation, NWFMOA Members, and the
local community are commended for their
incredible generosity).
-
Chuck Merkel was the Master of Ceremonies
for the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of
Commerce’s 50th Anniversary
Celebration of the Repatriation of the
Vietnam War POWs.
-
We partnered with the DAR in conducting
their Recognition Ceremony for Veterans of
the Vietnam War. Jeff Watson served as the
moderator, while Karl Eschmann, Patrick
Johnson, and I served as panelist. Many of
our Members were personally recognized for
their service during the Vietnam War…We
greatly appreciate every one of you and your
service!
Be a Recognized Leader in Florida and with MOAA
National
-
3 Chapter Members were recognized with MOAA
National President’s Leadership Awards
(George Colton, Dave Parisot, Fred
Westfall).
-
Chapter earned a 5-Star Award for its
Newsletter. (Congratulations to 2022
Defender Editors Mike Griffith and Fred
Westfall)
-
The Chapter earned a 5-Star Award for our
Webpage. (Congratulations Fred Westfall)
-
5 Chapter Members were recognized with
Florida Council and Chapter Leadership
Awards (Dan Brown, George Colton, Dave
Parisot, Don Panzenhagen, and Fred Westfall)
-
Karl Eschmann was recently nominated for the
DAR Outstanding Veteran Volunteer Award.
Our Chapter continues to do well thanks to the
hard work of many. I want to especially thank
the Board (Karl Eschmann, Fred Westfall, George
Colton, Ray Alexander, Bob Allen, Bob Gramm,
Michael Griffith, and Dick Solt) for their
leadership and help in guiding our Chapter. In
2024, we will be celebrating 65 years since we
were first formed in 1959. We have many things
planned to make it another great year for NWFMOA
and the community. Please plan to join us as we
once again demonstrate Comradery With Purpose.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
November 17, 2023
NWFMOA Partners
with the DAR to Recognize Vietnam Veterans
NWFMOA was invited to
participate in the Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) Commemorative Celebration for
the men and women who served during the Vietnam
War. The event took place on Sunday, November
5th at the Air Force Armament Museum.
Many NWFMOA Members were
in the audience and were called forward and
recognized by name with a commemorative lapel
pin and certificate.
Fellow NWFMOA Members
participating as part of the official party
included Jeff Watson (Master of Ceremonies) and
Al Stearns (Benediction). Karl Eschmann and
Patrick Johnson were part of a panel of five
speakers and shared their experiences while
serving in Vietnam. After presenting, they
answered questions from the audience. I too was
one of the five speakers. I spoke from my
experience as a military dependent whose Dad
went to Vietnam. My comments follow.
My name is Brig Gen Fran
Hendricks, USAF Retired, and I am the
proud son of SFC
James A. Hendricks, United States Army, a WW II
and Vietnam War Veteran. I was 13 years old and
going into the 8th grade when Dad received
orders for Vietnam. It was 1969.
On the same tarmac in
Williamsport, PA as my Dad kissed and
hugged us all
goodbye, he took me aside and said, “I need you
to be the man of the house while I am away on
duty”. I say the same tarmac, because 4 years
earlier when I was just 9 years old and going
into the 4th grade, he gave me the same charge
when he was headed to Korea for a year. This
time, though it was different. This time, I was
older and more aware of what was happening. This
time, he was going to war.
Dad served in Vietnam
from 1969 to 1970. His tour of duty was cut
short due to severe injuries he sustained
because of an explosion at the base camp he was
assigned. He would be medivac home and spend the
next year in Walter Reed and Valley Forge VA
hospitals recovering from his injuries.
I distinctly remember
my Mom staying with him for the duration of his
recovery. My brother, two sisters, and I stayed
with my Aunt and would visit Dad at least twice
a month for the next year.
When we would
arrive at the hospital, he would assign each of
us a room and soldier to visit. Dad worried
about these young men on his ward. He worried
that for many the distance to travel for their
families and girlfriends was too far or their
schedules were too busy. Or the sights of their
broken bodies were too much to bear. He didn’t
want them to be alone. He wanted them to know he
cared about them and their successful recovery.
I did not know at the time the tremendous impact
this would have on me, my brother, and sisters.
And the lives and career choices we would make.
Dad was finally
discharged from the hospital and retired from
the Army. 25 years in the Service. Two Wars…WWII
and Vietnam.
When I went off to
college, Dad would occasionally come to campus
to visit me. When he did, he always seemed to
find students who were pursuing their degrees
through the GI Bill.
Long after he returned
home, these Veterans would seek me out and ask
me about my Dad. How is he doing? And please
tell Sarge I am doing fine. When I would go home
on break, Dad would always ask about the Student
Veterans, by name. He would ask, how are they
doing? Tell them if they need anything to call
him.
Dad never talked of
combat. He didn’t watch war movies. But when I
decided to pursue a commission and was
commissioned a 2LT our conversations changed and
often centered on leading men in combat. What it
means to be in charge and responsible for
others.
My Dad never got over
how the men who fought and served during the
Vietnam War era were treated when they returned
home. He once told me when he came home from
WWII there were ticker tape parades. Today, they
come home after fighting a War their country
sent them to fight and are spat on, cursed out,
and or forgotten. They lost their youth and now
carry the scares of War.
While my Dad passed away
4 months after I was commissioned, not a day
goes by that I don’t think of the example he set
in leading and caring for his men. It was his
service and our front row seats that shaped me,
my brother, and my two sisters. My brother would
also serve in uniform. He retired from the Air
Force after 20 years as a MSgt. One of my
sisters served an enlistment in the Army, before
she and my other sister pursued careers in
nursing. My Dad’s service also impacted my son
and my brother’s son as both have served and
continue to serve in uniform.
The Vietnam War impacted
our entire Nation. For all those who served
during those tough times, know this, you are an
inspiration to all who have followed your lead.
It is an honor for me to be here today and share
this stage with each of you and to continue to
be inspired by your service. To quote Henry the
Fifth when he was talking to his men, he said,
“From this day to the ending of the world, we in
it shall be remembered, we lucky few, we Band of
Brothers. For he who today sheds his blood with
me, shall be my brother.”
To the men and women who
served during the Vietnam War, yes, from this
day to the end of time, we remember your service
and sacrifice. Each of you answered your
Nation’s call. Each of you is a hero. So, when
the naive or uninformed ask, why did you serve,
quote them the following from Homer, the Illiad.
“Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws,
and asks no omen, but his country’s cause.”
God Bless America and
God Bless the Men and Women and the families of
those who serve and sacrifice to keep her free.
God Bless the DAR for all their efforts to bring
this long overdue recognition to those who
served during the Vietnam War.
Thank you.
The opportunity to
partner with the DAR on this important
recognition ceremony was both an honor and a
gift as we gathered to honor all who served
during the Vietnam War. The DAR called many
NWFMOA Members’ names as they conducted a roll
call.
On behalf of a
grateful Nation, thank you for your service. We
will never forget the sacrifices you and your
families made.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
October 15, 2023
Women’s Veterans
Memorial Park
Recently
the Okaloosa County Commissioners had a public
hearing on expanding the Women’s Veterans
Memorial Park. Several fellow NWFMOA Members
spoke that day. I was proud to be counted among
them. My statement follows.
Thank
you for the opportunity to speak here today. My
name is Fran Hendricks, and I am proud to be a
resident of Okaloosa County and Shalimar. My
family and I first came to this area when the
Air Force assigned me to Eglin AFB in 2002. We
chose to return to the area in 2018 after I
retired from my post Air Force career in higher
education. My wife and I chose this to be our
forever home because of its proximity to Eglin,
because of the local community and its superb
quality of life, as well as the friends we made
while being assigned here. We wanted to be part
of a community that supported the military and
was led by public officials who revered the
constitution and adhered to conservative ideals
and values.
With
my over 40 years in public service, I know
firsthand the responsibility placed on each of
you as you decide how best to lead our County. I
respect each of you for shouldering this task
and for doing what you deem to be in the best
interest of us all. Today I am here to register
my support for expanding the Women Veterans
Memorial Park. I applaud this forum for their
foresight in establishing this attraction and
how it complements our community persona.
Whether you live here full time or are a
seasonal visitor, this park adds to the tapestry
we all call home. We are a tourist destination,
and this park adds an additional attraction to
see while visiting. Much like the Air Force
Armament Museum, in time this park will become a
destination—people will visit our area because
they are coming to see the park. When they do,
they will be educated on the various feats of
these amazing women and their impact on our
Nation’s history. How ironic it is, when other
parts of our Country are tearing down statues
and demeaning women by reducing them to
“birthing person” or allowing biological males
to compete against them in sports, we, on the
other hand, are acknowledging women and their
significant contributions to our Nation’s
history and its future.
Every
time I visit this park, I come away inspired.
When you read the plaques that accompany each
statue, you marvel at the feats of these
ordinary people who did extraordinary acts.
Each of
us has the same opportunity each day to make a
difference in our community. I believe
wholeheartedly that this park can change lives,
to inspire greatness in all of us, young and
old, male, and female. Every great
accomplishment in the world started with a
dream. I believe this park can and will provide
the spark for future dreams and accomplishments.
So,
as you grapple with County’s budget and its
competing priorities to fund, please take a long
hard look at the return on investment for
expanding this park. In addition to being
another great attraction for our tourism
portfolio, it has even greater potential to help
educate and inspire all who see it, thereby
becoming a local, State and National treasure.
Thank
you.
The expansion was unanimously approved by the
Commissioners
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
September 29, 2023
A Call to Action 23-05
Tell Congress to Pay Our Troops
As the start of a new fiscal year draws
closer with no agreement in place to fund the
government, service members, veterans, and their
families face uncertainty, financial stress, and
an erosion of trust in their lawmakers – all
during a recruiting and retention crisis for the
all-volunteer force.
Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), MOAA
president and CEO had plenty to say about the
impacts of a government shutdown:
“Military members
and their families volunteer and are honored to
serve and make the needed sacrifices, but they
don’t and should not expect to sacrifice their
financial security, The all-volunteer force is
the backbone of our nation’s national and
economic security. We depend on them and hold
them accountable … they want and deserve the
same dependability and accountability from the
elected members of Congress who are charged with
supporting them …Government shutdowns and
uncertainty of pay and benefits directly
contribute to our current recruiting crisis,”
The Pay Our Troops Act HR 5641 would protect
military service members and certain Department
of Defense civilian employees, contractors and
Coast Guard personnel should Congress fail to
reach an agreement on a Continuing Resolution in
time to prevent any disruption to covering the
costs of housing, food security, childcare,
medical expenses and other routine daily costs.
Congress has grappled with passing timely annual
appropriations for a quarter-century; this year
is not any different, and it’s critical for our
members to let their lawmakers know that change
is long overdue.
Our Senators have indicated their support for
this measure, but they still need to be urged to
rally their colleagues and see that this bill
reaches the finish line and is signed into law.
A more direct request is needed for our House
delegation.
Even if a CR does pass to avoid a shutdown, it
will have a deadline just a few months
downstream. HR 5641 will extend the protection
until a permanent funding bill is passed.
CLICK TO TAKE ACTION: Urge Your Elected
Officials to Support the Pay Our Troops Act
Please click on the link above to send a letter
to each of our Senators and Congressman. If the
drafted letter appears with my name on the
bottom, please change it to your name. Also add
after your name... Member NWFMOA. We want them
to know MOAA and NWFMOA are a forces to be
reckoned with. Thank you.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
September 14, 2023
From the President's Pen - October 2023
Our guest speaker this
month is Col Andy Weaver, USAF Retired. I first
met Andy when we were both wing commanders. He
commanded Wright-Patterson AFB when I was
Eglin’s Installation Commander. We shared the
same objectives and challenges. The timeframe
was 2002-2004. The War on Terror was at full
boil. In addition to deploying expeditionary
combat support personnel from our respective
wings, we both were charged to keep our bases
running optimally for those who were deployed in
place or returning from deployment.
In 2007, we found
ourselves on the same staff in Dallas, Texas.
Andy had just retired and accepted a key
leadership position in the Strategic Planning
Directorate of the Army Air Forces Exchange
Service. I would join Andy on staff as the
incoming Vice Commander. So, from 2007-2012, we
worked closely together to ensure this very
important benefit was understood by field
commanders, their troops, and was successful in
its execution. This specific timeframe
(2007-2012) is often referred to as the Great
Recession. Through the hard work and vision
of many, to include Andy, we grew the
partnerships with the other Service Exchanges,
the Defense Commissary Agency, Service MWRs, and
our vendors.
During this same
timeframe, the War on Terror was still raging.
The US military had base camps throughout
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, to name just a
few countries. AAFES personnel were assigned to
each location providing goods and services that
would not otherwise be available. As there were
only 60 military personnel assigned to all of
AAFES, every AAFES employee who was deployed to
one of these base camps was both a NAF Civilian
and a volunteer. This was nothing new. Since
their formation in 1941, the Exchange has
accompanied the troops to wherever they have
been assigned. This commitment to service helped
forge the motto…We Go Where You Go.
Please plan to join us
at the October luncheon and hear how your
Exchange is meeting the needs of the troops,
their families, retirees, and Veterans.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
September 12, 2023
A Call to Action 23-04
Donations Requested for NWFMOA Community Outreach
Program - $25 Commissary Gift Cards for Junior
Enlisted Families at Thanksgiving
DONATIONS
for NWFMOA COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMISSARY GIFT
CARDS
This is the 4th year
that one of our Chapter Community Outreach
projects is to distribute Commissary gift cards
to junior enlisted families in ranks E-4 and
below. Each gift card is for $25. Using gift
cards (rather than a food drive) allows the
families to purchase food items of their choice
at the Base Commissary. We will partner again
with the First Sergeant Councils at Eglin AFB,
Hurlburt Field, and the 7th Special Forces Group
(A), and the Military Family Readiness Center at
Hurlburt Field to distribute the gift cards to
their neediest junior enlisted families.
In the past three years
we have given out 610 gift cards totaling
$15,250. Of this amount, the MOAA Foundation has
provided $10,250 through their Community
Outreach grants to support our program. With the
continued and growing rate of inflation,
particularly for food items, the needs and
benefits of this outreach program remains high.
This year the MOAA Foundation gave us a grant of
$1,500. Our goal is to match that amount. This
will enable us to get 120 Commissary gift cards
into the hands of those junior enlisted families
in greatest need.
I respectfully ask you
to consider donating for this specific outreach
program and help a fellow warrior and their
family at Thanksgiving. Please click
HERE to fill out the
donation form.
Directions on where to mail your donation
are on the form.
Or you can bring it to the October or
November Chapter luncheon and turn it in there.
Thank you for your
continued support of this impactful NWFMOA
Community Outreach project. Your donation will
make a difference.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
August 21, 2023
Bylaws Revision
When the current NWFMOA Board was seated in
January, we began to look at the Chapter’s
by-laws. Were they current? Did they need to be
updated? We noted Scott Berry was the NWFMOA
President the last time the by-laws were
reviewed and approved by the Chapter. Hence, we
concluded it was time for another look. So, for
the past nine months, we have been working on
what we feel are needed revisions. You can see
our proposed revisions on the NWFMOA webpage.
We, as a Chapter, will vote at the November
Lunch Meeting, to accept or decline the Board’s
recommended changes. I invite all Chapter
Members to review the proposed by-laws and
contact me or any Board member with any
concerns.
In
a nutshell, the proposed revisions make some
needed housekeeping updates and some changes
that further codify membership eligibility and
the role of the Board. A brief synopsis follows.
Membership:
As an IRS recognized 501(c)19 (Veteran
Organization), NWFMOA is allowed a couple
different categories of membership. They
include: Voting Members; Auxiliary Members;
Associate Members; and Honorary Members. All pay
dues except Honorary Members. Associate Members
are limited to 2.5% of the total Chapter Voting
Membership.
Immediate
Past-President:
Serves as an Ex-Officio Member of the Board and
is non-voting.
Proxies:
The Board approved the use of proxies earlier
this year. The impacted Board Member notifies
the President and Secretary in writing (email)
in advance of their pending absence and
identifies who will have their proxy. This
ensures Chapter business is not impeded by their
absence.
Standing
Committees:
Budget and Finance Committees have been added.
Financial
Management and Oversight:
Here we further clarify the Board’s role in
managing and overseeing the financial actions
performed by all NWFMOA activities.
Mandatory
Audit:
Whenever the President or Treasurer leave
office, there is a mandatory audit performed
within 30 days.
By-laws
Review:
While an amendment to the by-laws can be
requested by any Chapter Voting Member at any
time, the Board proposes a mandatory review of
the by-laws every three years. The next review
would be scheduled for 2026.
I
respectfully request you take the time to review
the proposed revisions to our by-laws. We, as a
Chapter, will vote to accept or decline these
changes at our scheduled monthly meeting in
November.
As
an aside, below is a list of our upcoming
speakers for the remainder of this year.
-
September 7, Capt
Austin Bury, US Marine Corps (Congressman
Gaetz Office)
-
October 5, Col
Andy Weaver, USAF Ret, HQ AAFES
-
November 2, State Rep BG Patt Maney, US Army
Reserve Retired
-
December 7, Opus One Niceville High School
Choir
H2S
Fran
Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Ret
President, NWFMOA
___________________________________________________________________________________
Salute to Col Bill Byerley, 43rd
President
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Col Bill Byerley passed
away on July 31, 2023. Bill was a great warrior,
leader, friend, and our 43rd Chapter
President. He served as president from
2002-2004. It was then that I first met Bill. I
was serving as the 96 Air Base Wing Commander
(Eglin AFB) and I would attend the NWFMOA
monthly breakfast meetings at the Officers Club
and provide a monthly update on what was
happening on the base. It was through these
Chapter meetings that I got to know Bill and
NWFMOA and became a member.
Bill’s Memorial Service
was held on August 12th at the
Shalimar United Methodist Church. The church was
filled with family, friends, and many NWFMOA
members. In addition to several Ministers who
led us in prayer and song, our very own Lt Col
Al Sterns reminded all of us of Bill’s life and
accomplishments. They were the best of friends.
In fact, Al immediately preceded Bill as
President, NWFMOA and recruited Bill to be his
successor. As a Past President, Bill remained
active in the Chapter until his passing.
Bill’s obituary is available
HERE.
Please know as a Chapter, we have extended an
offer of continued service and assistance to
Jeanne. We are here for her.
Col Bill Byerley, USAF Retired, we salute you
and your service to our Country, our community,
and our Chapter. Rest in Peace our Fellow
Brother in Arms for we have the Watch.
Fran
Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Ret
54th
President, NWFMOA
July 16, 2023
Progress of the NWFMOA In 2023
Well, it’s been six months since I assumed the
gavel and became the President, NWFMOA. I
thought I might take a moment and recall where
we have been and where we are going as a
Chapter. As a Board, in January we set tasks and
goals for the Chapter. I am happy to report we
are making great progress. Here are some of the
highlights of that progress:
-
Partnered with Longwood Elementary School
and Bob Hope Village and initiated
Valentines for Veterans…125 handmade
Valentine Cards were made and delivered by
the Longwood 2nd Graders to
residents of Bob Hope Village.
-
Participated in FWB Chamber’s Veterans
Appreciation at the Landing.
-
Applied for MOAA National Grants Sought and
received a $2,500 MOAA National Grant for
the Veteran Standdown. (Huge kudos to Dave
Parisot for writing and submitting the grant
application).
-
Sought and received a $1,300 MOAA National
Brant to purchase Commissary Gift Cards at
Thanksgiving for E-4 and Below families.
Huge kudos to Dave Parisot for writing and
submitting the grant application).
-
We had 3 Chapter Members recognized with
MOAA National President’s Leadership Awards
(George Colton, Dave Parisot, Fred
Westfall).
-
The Chapter earned a 5 Star Award for its
Newsletter
Congrats Mike Griffith and Fred Westfall).
-
The Chapter earned a 4 Star Award for our
Webpage(Congratulations Fred Westfall) .
-
We had 5 Chapter Members recognized with
Florida Council and Chapter Leadership
Awards (Dan Brown, George Colton, Dave
Parisot, Don Panzenhagen, and Fred
Westfall).
Our Chapter is doing well thanks to the hard
work of many. I want to thank the Board, Dave
Parisot, and Jim Shoff for making our Chapter
stronger. We will be looking for replacements
for some key roles in next year’s Board as we
celebrate our 65 years in existence. Please
consider volunteering. We have a good time as a
Board…it’s not a lot of work, but it is a lot of
fun.
H2S
Fran
Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Ret
President, NWFMOA
July 4, 2023
Happy Independence
Day
On this 247th
Anniversary of the Independence of the United
States of America, I wish you, your family, and
friends a Happy 4th of July. As the NWFMOA, we
have much to be proud of…each of our members’
service, their family’s sacrifices, and the
contributions we as a Chapter have made to the
Fort Walton Beach area for the past 64 years.
Enjoy this day of celebration and know this…you
are all part of the great tapestry we call
America.
H2S,
Fran
Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Ret
President, NWFMOA
June 22, 2023
Please see the
post by Governor
Ron DeSantis.
Fran Hendricks
President NWFMOA
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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June 17, 2023
NWFMOA’s Role in Identifying and Recognizing
Future Military Officers
I thought I would give a brief recap of some
happenings this past month. First, Fred Westfall
and I attended the Florida Council of
Chapters (FCoC) Convention in St Augustine,
FL. While there we engaged with MOAA National
staff members, to include Gen Kelly, the MOAA
President, the senior leadership of FCoC, and
Chapter leaders from across the state. Of
special note was the opportunity to meet with
CAPT Frank Michael, USN Ret, MOAA National and
NWFMOA Member). It was great to see Frank. He
proudly registered for the Convention as a
member of NWFMOA!
At the President’s Reception, NWFMOA was
honored with multiple awards…I had Fred accept
two Col Marvin J. Harris Communication Awards
for the Chapter. We received a 4-Star Award for
our website and a 5-Star Award for our
newsletter, The Defender. We also had
three members of the Chapter (Fred Westfall,
George Colton, and Dan Brown) recognized and
awarded FCoC Leadership Awards. A great night
for NWFMOA!
Talk about hitting a homerun...the MOAA
Foundation awarded 46 grants this year to 42
Chapters nationwide...28% of all the grants went
to a FL Chapter. NWFMOA was 1 of 4 nationwide to
receive 2 grants and 1 of 2 in FCoC to receive 2
grants!! We received $4,300 in total grant money
(a $300 increase over last year)! Great job Dave
Parisot!!
Day
2 was chalked full of meetings and opportunities
to engage with MOAA National and other Florida
Chapters. Some important take aways:
Surviving
Spouses
need to check to make sure their tax withholding
has not been reduced or eliminated. Numerous
cases of such action were reported after the
death of the MOAA member.
Pat Green (Surviving Spouse Chair) has
created a trifold for Surviving Spouses. It is
presently at MOAA National for
review/publication. Once completed and
available, we will request copies for our
Surviving Spouses.
SBP Open
Season ends Dec 31. (This is key info for our
members who have remarried).
You can pre-register for burial in a
Veteran Cemetery. Surviving Spouses comprise 25%
of MOAA’s Members
Letter
of Excellence…Nationally,
107 LOE submissions were submitted. This year
MOAA National will implement a 3-Star rating.
(NWFMOA submitted its LOE in March…we look
forward to seeing how we scored).
Legislative
Update…Discussed
importance of sending letters and cards to our
elected officials on topics which protect our
earned benefits.
FCOC
Board Meeting with MOAA CEO (Gen Kelly)…Special
meeting for FCoC Board and AVPs. I was asked to
attend to represent NWF area. Gen Kelly reminded
us that MOAA is bipartisan, not apolitical. We
must work with both parties to be effective in
protecting the earned benefits of those who have
served. It is important for our elected
officials to keep their word regarding earned
benefits, otherwise the current generation of
those who served will not promote serving to the
next generation.
Day 3 was meetings focused on 2024.
Starting in 2024, Chapters will be rewarded for
scoring well on their self-assessment. Those in
Green will be awarded $100. A Chapter deemed
most improved will be awarded $250. We are
presently Green. Congratulations...Let’s keep
leading the charge.
In closing, the FCoC Chaplain briefed us
on FireWatch…a Veteran Suicide Prevention
effort. A flyer describing the effort and the
need for Veteran Volunteers is available on page
12 of this publication.
Convention Ended. We cleared the hotel
and began the 5+ hour drive home.
NWFMOA
Facebook
is alive and thriving. Please check it out and
join our group. Big kudos to Jim Shoff for
getting this up and running.
FPL
presented the NWFMOA Scholarship Fund with a
check for $3,600. Dave Parisot and I received
the check from Bernard Johnson, FPL, at the Fort
Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday
Breakfast in front of all assembled Chamber
Members. Of special note, Bernard will be our
guest speaker at our monthly luncheon on July
6th. Please plan to join us.
Ted
Corcoran, President/CEO Fort Walton Beach
Chamber of Commerce,
hosted a meeting between NWFMOA and Operation
Holiday Cheer. At the meeting both entities
discussed the purpose of their community
outreach program. The Chamber expressed
interested in helping us both reach our targeted
recipients.
In closing, it was another great month
for NWFMOA. Thank you to all for your commitment
to Never Stop Serving.
H2S
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
May 26, 2023
Memorial Day…A
Time to Remember
On this Memorial Day
Weekend, please take time to remember those who
gave their lives while serving in the defense of
our great nation. They were fathers and mothers,
brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, Aunts,
Uncles, cousins, neighbors, and friends.
To all, they are heroes.
They were common folks, who lived
uncommon lives. Many, who we honor this weekend,
gave their lives far from home as they served to
protect us and to defend our freedoms.
It’s their service and sacrifice that we
remember.
In remembering them, I ask that you also
remember and pray for their families and friends
who mourn their lost every day.
When a revolution needed
to be waged and a Union needed to be saved,
these common men and women left their homes and
families and took up arms for the sake of
freedom and its defense.
From Bunker Hill to Gettysburg, from
Pearl Harbor, the beaches of Normandy and
Korea’s frozen Chosen Reservoir to the jungles
of Vietnam, the Cold War, Desert Shield/Desert
Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan, they stepped
forward and answered their Nation’s call.
Drafted or volunteered for duty, they
fought for a home they may never return to; they
fought for buddies they would never forget; they
fought for you, and they fought for me.
And while their stories maybe separated
by hundreds of years and thousands of miles,
their service and their sacrifice remind each of
us of the cost of freedom.
Freedom is not free.
It cost us our most precious treasure…it
costs us our loved ones.
This weekend, we come
together as Americans, to pray, to reflect and
to remember these fallen veterans, these heroes,
their sacrifices, and the sacrifices born by
their families and friends. There is an
inscription carved into the stone memorial at
the Omaha Beach Cemetery in France which sums up
why we celebrate Memorial Day.
It reads:
“To these we owe the highest resolve,
that the cause for which they died, shall live”.
Cemeteries across our Nation will adorn
the graves of these past Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen and Marines with American flags, they too
are forever counted among our Nation’s heroes.
President John F. Kennedy said, “A nation
reveals itself not only by the men it produces
but also by the men it honors, the men it
remembers.”
While the Nation
remembers its heroes this weekend, I am proud to
be part of an organization that honors and
remembers their sacrifice every day through our
actions.
To our fallen Brothers and Sisters, rest
in peace for we have the watch.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
May 20, 2023
President's
Pen from the June 2023 Defender - NWFMOA’s
Role in Identifying and Recognizing Future
Military Officers
Looking back, May was the crescendo of Chapter
Member and local business donations to our
scholarship program, the culmination of many
months of coordination with the local schools,
review of scholarship submissions, interviews of
cadets, consensus of the selection committee on
scholarship award recipients, and finally, the
award of our Chapter’s Scholarships at the
annual scholarship luncheon. Dave Parisot and
his Scholarship Fund Committee comprised of Fred
Westfall, George Colton, Bob Allen, Karl
Eschmann, and Charles Farmer (Senior JROTC
Instructor at Niceville High School) made 2023
another outstanding year. As a committee, they
awarded nine scholarships totaling nearly
$30,000 to 8 JROTC graduating seniors and 1
College ROTC junior. Nearly 100 people attended
the Annual NWFMOA Scholarship and Awards
Luncheon where the cadets were awarded their
scholarships and the audience learned of their
outstanding academic and leadership
accomplishments. Local media was present and
covered the lunch for its news worthiness. The
Scholarship Fund Committee is commended for once
again raising the bar. I also commend them for
their dedication to attend each of the local
high school JROTC Awards events throughout the
month of May. Crisscrossing the counties we
serve, they ensured NWFMOA had a presence at
each of these important daytime or evening
assemblies of cadets and parents.
Also in May, I had the distinct pleasure to give
the Commissioning Address at the Commissioning
Ceremony of the AFROTC Cadets from the
University of South Alabama and University of
West Florida. The ceremony was held at the
National Navy Aviation Museum, NAS Pensacola. A
fitting place to capture this historical
moment—where everywhere we looked was a reminder
of the sacrifices and successes of those who had
gone before us. Of the 16 cadets commissioned,
Cadet Blayne Johnson, the first recipient of our
then newly forged College ROTC Scholarship in
2022, was one of them. 2LT Johnson will now
report to NAS Pensacola for Combat Systems
Officer training.
One
line from my address simply stated, “Life is
about choices…You can be in the arena or in the
stands…Each of you has chosen to be in the thick
of it…I applaud your choice”. It was an honor to
witness them take the same oath we took, and I
am confident they will rise to the challenges
that await them. Looking into the eyes of those
eager and newly minted officers, you could see
our Nation’s future and it is in good hands.
Once
again, NWFMOA has made a difference. Through
your generosity, our Nation’s future is bright
because the bench we are helping to build is
deep with individuals willing to proudly serve
and protect our freedoms. Thank you to all for
your commitment to this important role of the
NWFMOA.
Never Stop Serving.
H2S
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
May 17, 2023
President's Pen from the May 2023
Defender - In Pursuit of 5 Stars
Well, it is that time of year again when
MOAA Chapters across the nation submit their
Levels of Excellence submissions. These
submissions are akin to a self-assessment of
what your respective Chapter did the past
year across several graded areas. In turn,
they are graded by a panel comprised of
Directors from the National MOAA Board.
Historically, the NWFMOA has done
exceptionally well and has been awarded
MOAA’s highest award, a 5-Star rating, as
recent as 2020. (We did not submit a
submission in 2021 due to COVID).
Our 2023 submission (covers 2022)
highlighted the many outstanding things the
Chapter did last year. Those highlights
included pursuing and receiving a MOAA
Community Outreach Grant for $4,000. We used
those funds, combined with $2.300 in
donations from Chapter Members, 3 Military
Affairs Councils, and the Eglin AFA Chapter,
to purchase 252 Commissary gift cards at $25
each for E4 and below personnel. The
Commissary gift cards were distributed to
252 active-duty Airman and Soldier families
by the Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, and the
Army 7th Special Forces Group (A) First
Sergeant Associations and the Hurlburt’s
Airman, Family & Readiness Center to
purchase food at the base commissaries at
Thanksgiving.
We highlighted our advocacy efforts.
Those efforts included sending a letter to
the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for
Manpower and Reserve Affairs regarding their
inaccurate assessment of the Okaloosa County
Schools. We claimed this inaccurate
assessment directly impacts retention of the
military assigned to our local area or those
who have received orders reassigning them to
one of our bases. Additionally, we sent
letters to Senator Rubio, Senator Scott, and
Congressman Gaetz regarding the Child Care
needs at Camp Bull Simons. We applauded
their efforts to get involved in solving
this long-standing issue. This issue is both
a retention and quality of life matter
affecting primarily the 7th Special Forces
Group at Camp Bull Simons.
We were active in the local
community. We manned a NWFMOA information
booth at the Duke Field Open House which was
celebrating their 50th Anniversary. We made
a stage presentation at the Fort Walton
Beach Chamber of Commerce First Friday
assembly. Over 300 Chamber members were
informed of NWFMOA’s mission and our
commitment to service. We expanded our
scholarship program to include two
University of West Florida ROTC junior or
senior cadets who graduated from one of our
local high schools and are on track to
commission. All totaled, we awarded over
$17,000 in scholarships to five outstanding
Cadets. We highlighted our Military Ball and
its importance to our Chapter.
2022 was a very good year for the
NWFMOA. With COVID restrictions in our
rearview mirror, we were once again pursuing
our mission with vigor and making a
difference in the lives of those presently
serving, those who have served, and those
who want to serve.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
April 20, 2023
President's Pen from the April 2023
Defender
Camaraderie is an
important component of our Chapter and has been
since our
establishment nearly 65 years ago. It is one of
the four components of our mission
tetrad and a major reason to be a member. This
past month on March 9th,
we had the
pleasure to be part of history
at the Air Force Armament Museum as Okaloosa
County celebrated the 50th
Anniversary of the repatriation of the Vietnam
POWs. Those honored included Brigadier General
George
“Bud” Day, (a former NWFMOA Member); Colonel
Richard Dutton, USAF Retired; Colonel
Keith Hall,
USAF Retired; Col Howard Hill, USAF Retired
(former NWFMOA Vice President); Colonel Ed
Hubbard, USAF Retired; Col Ron Webb, USAF
Retried; Lieutenant Colonel Dave Gray, USAF
Retired;
and Mr. Ken Frazer, former USAF Captain. This
event served as
our quarterly Officer Call.
Numerous NWFMOA
members served in key roles for the evening.
Chuck Merkel served as the evening’s historian
and moderator, giving all in attendance a
description of the Vietnam War period, the
atrocities
endured by our POWs, and
the courage, sacrifice and tenacity of those being
honored. Chaplain Tom Azar gave the
invocation. Fred Westfall was in attendance,
just as he was 50 years ago on the tarmac of
Clark Air Base, Philippines when the POWs made
their first stop after leaving
Hanoi,
Vietnam. Fred was a Captain then,
assigned to 13th Air Force. Honorary NWFMOA
Member, Jerry Williams, CEO Eglin Federal Credit
Union was a sponsor for this historic event.
NWFMOA Board Member Bob Allen and Past President
Elvira Chiccarelli serve as
volunteers at the museum and were there helping.
New NWFMOA Member, Col Kim Wintner (Air
Force Armament Museum Foundation Treasure) was
there, as were many, many other chapter members.
It was a great turnout for NWFMOA. And I had the
great honor to give welcoming
comments while wearing my Vice President of the
Air Force Armament Museum Foundation hat.
NWFMOA extends kudos
to Ted Corcoran, Fort Walton Beach Chamber of
Commerce (it was his idea to conduct this
event); Tom Rice, Magnolia Grill (Food); Voices
of NW
Florida; Props Craft Brewery (Beer);
Forever Warriors, Powered by First Step
Automotive; Docies Dock (Wine); Connect with
Flowers; Voices of Northwest Florida State
College; and the Eglin AFB Honor Guard. We are
fortunate
to live in a community that
is so supportive of those presently serving and its
Veterans.
Camaraderie sets us apart and was on full
display at this event. In addition to those
participating in the program, our members
showed up in large numbers to honor the POWs and
to engage the community. In the future when I am talking
with a perspective NWFMOA member about joining
our Chapter, I will add the happenings of this
evening to my arsenal of reasons I share. I
respectfully request you do the same.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks,
Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
March 30, 2023 -
CALL to ACTION 23-03
A Call To Action:
Tricare for Life Fees and Cost
Sharing
Fellow NWFMOA Chapter Members,
If you haven’t
read Dave Parisot’s
Legislative Liaison feature in
the April Defender, I strongly encourage you
to do so. In the article you
will learn the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) has made
two recommendations regarding
our Tricare for Life (TFL)
benefit. Both recommendations (if
enacted) would cost us
significant more money in fees
and deductibles to use our
earned benefit if
Congress doesn’t act to stop it.
CBO
Recommendation #1 (Fees)...We would
be required to pay an enrollment fee
of $575 (individual) or $1,150
(family) for TFL coverage.
CBO Recommendation #2
(Cost-Sharing)…We would be
required to pay a deductible
of $850. After the
deductible ($850) is met,
TFL would pay only 50% of
the next $7,650 in Medicare
expenses.
If
you agree this is wrong (as
I do) and want to join
MOAA’s efforts to have these
recommendations thwarted, I
respectfully request you
send the Act Now! message
that MOAA has drafted
regarding this topic to
Representative Gaetz,
Senator Scott
and Senator Rubio. You can
access the Act Now! message
to our elected leaders by
going to our website (nwfmoa.org)
and clicking on the take
action button on the bottom
of our page. Feel free to
make changes to the proposed
wording of the message. I
also recommend in addition
to your name at the bottom
of the Act Now! message you
add NWFMOA Member. We want
our elected representatives
to know we are advocates for
matters important to our
members and the military /
Veteran community we serve.
You can also click
HERE to TAKE
ACTION on this MOAA initiative.
Thank you.
H2S
Fran Hendricks, Brigadier
General, USAF (Retired)
NWFMOA President
March 30, 2023 - CTA 23-02
A Call To Action:
H.R.1413, The Expanding America's
National Cemetery Act
Fellow
NWFMOA Chapter Members,
MOAA National is advocating for
authorizing the transformation of a
VA-run national cemetery into the
next location that affords military
honors as Arlington National
Cemetery reaches capacity. This is a
long-term solution and needs our
support. Florida has the second
largest number of military retirees
– 210,073. We need to advise
Congressman Gaetz to protect the
benefit of in-ground burial with
full military honors for all who
plan for internment or inurnment at
a DoD managed National Cemetery.
I respectfully
request you go to the MOAA website’s
Advocacy page and send the Act Now!
message that MOAA has drafted
regarding this topic to
Representative Gaetz. If you want,
you can change the proposed wording
to your liking. I also recommend in
addition to your name at the bottom
of the Act Now! message you add
NWFMOA Member. We want our elected
representatives to know when NWFMOA
comes up on the net regarding an
issue important to our members and
the military / Veteran community we
serve.
Click
HERE to TAKE
ACTION on this MOAA initiative.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brigadier General,
USAF (Retired)
NWFMOA President
March 3, 2023
Happy 108th
Birthday to the Navy Reserve
One hundred and
eight years ago today, the Navy Reserve was
formed in 1915 in response to the outbreak
of World War I. Fully constituted, it made
up nearly 84% of the Navy’s fighting force
during the war. Among its ranks were 5
future U.S. Presidents and 15 Medal of Honor
recipients. Since its inception, the Navy
Reserve has been part of every major war the
US has fought.
If you get a chance
today, raise a glass and toast the Navy
Reserve.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
February 28, 2023 - CTA 23-01
A Call To Action:
Major Richard Star Act
Fellow Chapter
Members,
Your assistance is needed.
Last year, the efforts of MOAA and their
partners in The Military Coalition came
close to having Congress enact the Major
Richard Star Act. That legislation is solely
focused on supporting 50,000 combat-injured
Veterans whose retirement pay is reduced by
the amount they receive for disabilities due
to combat. This is wrong and needs to be
righted. Undeterred and fully committed to
seeing the Star Act passed, MOAA and The
Military Coalition are again engaging
Congress and could use your help. They
simply ask each of us to contact our elected
officials and state our support. They have
made it very easy for us to make that
contact. Just use this link provided by
MOAA: contacting your senators and
representative TODAY . It takes less than 10
minutes to complete, and it will send a
letter directly from you to Senator Rubio,
Senator Scott, and Representative Gaetz. I
have sent my letters of support and
respectfully request you do the same. The
Major Richard Star Act is a necessary step
towards concurrent receipt for all.
To view the
conversation about this, click
HERE.
To send a letter to your representatives,
click
HERE.
H2S,
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
February 14, 2023
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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.
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The NWFMOA invites everyone to recognize a
Veteran’s service and sacrifice especially on Valentine’s
Day. To view additional pictures, click on the picture
to the right or
HERE.
The Air Force
Enlisted Village also posted a nice article on
their website. The contents of that
article are below.
Valentines for Veterans Visit Bob Hope
Village
by Taylar
Banks
The Military
Officers
Association of
America (MOAA)
and Longwood
Elementary
partnered to
bring Valentines
for Veterans at
Bob Hope
Village.
Shalimar,
FL (February 14,
2023) - With
markers,
pencils,
crayons, and
glue sticks in
hand,
second-grade
students from
Longwood
Elementary
happily created
Valentine’s Day
cards with
woodland animals
not knowing the
impact they
would soon have.
With pep in
their step, the
students proudly
walked over to
the Bob Hope
Village Commons
with smiles on
their faces and
Valentine’s Day
cards in their
hands.
The
students were
immediately met
with applause
and cheer from a
ballroom filled
with Bob Hope
Village
residents
awaiting the
young artists.
Happily,
the children
disbursed their
hand-made cards
and chimed in
with
conversations
with residents
who are retired
military
surviving
spouses or
couples. There
were 125
beautiful
Valentine’s Day
cards made by
the students and
twenty-five
children
delivered them
to Bob Hope
Village. “The
kids had a blast
even walking
here,” said Lisa
Jones, assistant
principal of
Longwood
Elementary.
Northwest
Florida Military
Officers
Association
(NWFMOA)
coordinated the
Valentine’s Day
event partnering
Bob Hope Village
with Longwood
Elementary for
Valentines for
Veterans, an
annual event
first enacted in
1996 by Gen. Ron
Fogleman, Air
Force Chief of
Staff, and was
intended to
support the
Department of
Veteran Affairs
weeklong
National Salute
to Hospitalized
Veterans.
NWFMOA
consists of 230
members and has
been making a
difference in
the lives of
veterans in
Okaloosa and
Walton counties
for sixty years.
According to
Brig. Gen. Fran
Hendricks, USAF,
Ret., and
president of
NWFMOA, the
organization is
made up of all
military
branches that
never stop
serving. “We
assist all ranks
of those who
have served and
are currently
serving, and we
hold a soft spot
for surviving
spouses,”
Hendricks said.
Valentine’s Day
love was felt
everywhere in
the Bob Hope
Village ballroom
thanks to NWFMOA
and Longwood
Elementary. All
residents could
talk about were
the hugs and
cards they
received from
the students.
“We can’t
thank MOA enough
for choosing us
to be part of
Valentines for
Veterans,” said
Bobbi Jo
Dominguez,
Director of Bob
Hope Village.
“Love is in the
air today thanks
to MOA and
thanks to the
Longwood
Elementary
second graders.
We have big love
for our friends.
H2S
Fran Hendricks,
Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
February 13, 2023
President's Pen from the March 2023
Defender
As
I pen this first
address as President, I feel it’s
only appropriate that I use this
space to honor one of our recently fallen
members, Colonel Doug Hardin
(pictured
below).
I first met Colonel Hardin and his wife Carol in
July 2002 when I took
command of the 96th
Air Base
Wing at Eglin. Colonel Hardin had the position I
was assuming several
commanders prior. Colonel Hardin and I became
quick friends, and I sought out his counsel from
time to
time on matters impacting the wing.
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When I returned to the area after
retiring from
the university, Doug was one of the
first
individuals I contacted. I was looking
to get involved in various
organizations, and he
was key to paving the way for me. All
told, we served together on NWFMOA, Air
Force
Association Education Foundation, and the
Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council.
To
say he was a fireball would be an
understatement. Everything he was
involved with, he
was all in. His infectious personality
and superb leadership skills quickly
inspired all
around him to want to do more.
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When
Col Hardin commanded the Air Base Wing at Eglin,
it had a 4-digit
designation. Then Air Force
Chief of Staff, Merrill McPeak, put out an edit
that all wings had to have a numerical
designation of
historical relevance to the Army Air Corps or
Air Force. He
even provided a list of available wing
designations. On that list was the 96th.
Colonel Hardin, as a lieutenant had served in
the 96th,
before it had
been deactivated. He quickly responded to the
Chief’s call and secured the 96th
designation for Eglin. The
significance of the 96th
dates from its inception as a Bomb Group during
World War II and its role in the
Vietnam War.
The B-52
that resides at the Air Armament Museum, was
secured during Colonel Hardin’s time as
commander of Eglin. He also served as crew
member on that bird during Vietnam.
As we perform community outreach with the First
Sergeants in 96th
Test Wing or when we drive pass the
Air Armament Museum, let’s give a tip of the cap
to one of our very own, Col Doug Hardin and his
enduring legacy.
For additional pictures of Col Hardin, click
this link:
http://nwfmoa.org/files/hardin/album/
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
February 10, 2023
50th Anniversary Salute to Okaloosa County
Vietnam POWs Returning Home
On Thursday, March
9th, from 1730 to 1930, our community will
gather at the Air Force Armament Museum and
honor five Vietnam POWs who call Okaloosa
County home on the 50th Anniversary of their
release from captivity. I respectfully
request our Chapter come out and partake in
the celebration. One of the POWs to be
honored, Brig Gen George “Bud” Day, was a
NWFMOA Member. At least two of our Chapter
Members (then Capt Fred and Jan Westfall)
were on the tarmac at Clark Air Base,
Philippines in 1973 when the just released
POWs made their first stop after departing
Hanoi. This will also be our Officers
Call for the quarter so please join us.
H2S
Fran Hendricks, Brig Gen,
USAF (Ret)
President, NWFMOA
January 16, 2023
MOAA Florida
Council of Chapters Training Seminar
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I recently had the
pleasure to attend the MOAA Florida Council of
Chapters (FCoC) annual training seminar in
Orlando, Florida.
MOAA Chapters from throughout Florida and
surrounding states attended the two-day event.
Pat Kluever, President of the FCoC served
as Master of Ceremonies for the training
seminar. Presentations from MOAA National senior
officials included the following topics: MOAA
Update; Surviving Spouse; Chapter Affairs;
Legislative Affairs; and the MOAA Foundation.
The FCoC Board gave presentations
regarding its State-wide Membership Campaign and
the 2023 Convention.
This was the first time I attended this
annual training seminar and found it to
both very informative and engaging. I
had numerous conversations with MOAA
National staff members, MOAA Board
members, FCoC Board members, and
Presidents from Florida MOAA chapters.
We shared best practices and lessons
learned. I even found the opportunity to
engage the MOAA Chairman of the Board,
Lt Gen Gary North, USAF (Ret).
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In addition to
telling Gen North a little bit about the
NWFMOA Chapter, I planted the seed for him or the MOAA
President, Lt Gen Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret), to
visit our chapter in 2024 and partake in our 65th
Anniversary (60th affiliated with
MOAA). I received an early commitment that one
of the two will be there.
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On Friday
evening, MOAA National hosted Dinner and awarded
various chapters their LOE awards. While we
didn’t receive a LOE award, I was happy to see
our very own Don Panzenhagen be recognized with
a FCoC Leadership Award for his work as the Area
Vice President for our region. I was equally
honored to be called forward and accept a FCoC
Leadership Award for Michael Griffith for his
work as our Chapter President. We will make the
presentation to Mike at the February Chapter
luncheon. Also, at our February Chapter luncheon
we will be joined by CAPT Frank Michael, USN
Retired. CAPT Michael serves as the Program
Director, Council and Chapter Affairs at MOAA
National and will update us on MOAA’s recent
legislative successes and what initiatives MOAA
is presently undertaking to further safeguard
our benefits. Please plan to attend the February
NWFMOA Chapter meeting on February 2 (Ground Hog
Day) at 1130, Fort Walton Yacht Club.
H2S (Here to Serve),
Fran Hendricks, Brig
Gen, USAF Retired
President, NWFMOA
Be a MOAA
Advocate
Advocacy for
our causes is as simple as A, B, and C.
See below on how to learn more about the
latest issues and then how to tell your
congressional representative about your position
on the subjtct. MOAA has been very
successful
when its members get active in contacting their
representatives.
Sign up today!!!
Click here
for the sign-up instructions
OR
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