Details Matter
On every issue, big or small, MOAA is here to help members.
By Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.

People say it’s the little things in life that count, and that’s certainly true at MOAA. Staff members pride themselves on responsiveness and good service—and they love to solve problems, big or small. As just one example, Darcie Galbreath, a member service representative, assists members every day by phone and e-mail. She’s learned the military health care system and can handle complex questions. During the past few months, as TRICARE transitioned most of its major health care contracts—involving TRICARE health care coverage, pharmacy, and TRICARE For Life claims—Darcie’s been especially valuable.

Working with our Government Relations and Benefits Information departments, Darcie has resolved countless health care problems through coordination between beneficiaries and the tricare contractors. Recently, she tackled an unfortunate DoD decision regarding the availability of prescriptions in DoD pharmacies and spearheaded the initiative to get it fixed. Darcie’s knowledge, attention to detail, and dedication are typical of the MOAA staff—and why MOAA should be your association throughout your career and life.

Another initiative where a little effort will pay big dividends is the Survivor Benefit Plan (sbp). The cover wrap on this issue of Military Officer includes postcards addressed to your legislators urging them to eliminate the SBP offset. Congress is nearing a decision on how to fix this military “widows tax,” and mailing these cards—a small deed on your part—will really help about 250,000 surviving spouses who continue to suffer under this unfair tax.

A third example is The Scholarship Fund of MOAA, which helps children from officer and enlisted families secure a college education. The fund had to turn down two out of three applicants this year. Your contributions can help send more of our military’s sons and daughters to college. And because MOAA covers all overhead costs, every nickel contributed helps these kids. Please mail your tax-deductible donation to MOAA Scholarship Fund, Dept 889, Alexandria, VA 22334-0889. If you participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (cfc), you can contribute to the “MOAA Scholarship Fund” by finding the donation number in the reference guide you receive with your cfc information.

Finally, MOAA’s national convention is Oct. 13-17 in Nashville, Tenn. You can register using the form in the August issue of Military Officer or on MOAA’s Web Base, www.moaa.org. The Nashville Chapter and the MOAA headquarters staff have worked hard on the little details that will make this convention great, and we hope you’ll join us.

MOAA is dedicated to working in your interests. We think the little things count, often as much as the big things—and that’s why you always can count on us.