Spring in Washington, D.C., means good weather, cherry blossoms, outdoor activities, and the opportunity for MOAA to honor men and women who strongly support America’s
military members.

On March 27, MOAA held its ninth annual award ceremony in the Cannon House Office Building, honoring four members of Congress, a leader of one of the nation’s largest businesses, a representative of all wounded in all wars, and two dedicated congressional staffers.

Gen. John W. Hendrix, USA-Ret., chairman of MOAA’s board of directors, presented three different awards: the Col. Arthur T. Marix Award, named after MOAA’s founder and awarded to an elected representative; the MOAA Distinguished Service Award, given to a person or group not elected to Congress; and the Col. Paul W. Arcari Award, named after MOAA’s former director of Government Relations and given to congressional staff members who provide great assistance in support of servicemembers.

The evening of recognition then ended with individual audience members congratulating the recipients while a musical group played patriotic music. It was a fitting way to walk out the door, making attendees a little more proud to be Americans and associated with the MOAA family.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

Award: Marix Award

Recognized for: Senate leadership in winning TRICARE coverage for drilling National Guard and Reserve members and families, improved pay raises, and increased force levels.

Graham, who could not attend the ceremony but later accepted his award in his office from MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., said taking an active role advocating for those in uniform who have served and who are still serving is one of the highest callings of any American. He said the association’s involvement in policies regarding retirees and active duty personnel comes at a time when America needs more citizen input and more advocates for those who are serving and have served. The challenges of today’s military and the budgets regarding our military personnel are enormous, he said, and we will not be able to meet those challenges without people having input who know what they are talking about. And MOAA knows what it’s talking about, Graham said.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)

Award: Marix Award

Recognized for: Leadership spearheading legislation to correct significant Survivor Benefit Plan inequities affecting both survivors and older retirees.

Nelson said, “You have given me the privilege of serving our country here on Capitol Hill at this time when we have quite a few important issues on our plates, and there is not a more important issue ... [than] taking care of widows and orphans.”

Nelson recalled that President Lincoln said, “It is our obligation as a country to take care of the widows and the orphans of war.” He added, “So what I have tried to remind our senators is that as we provide for the cost of war, be it equipment, ammunition, or new technology, that we also ought to provide for the widows and orphans as a cost of war.”

Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.)

Award: Marix Award

Recognized for: Sponsoring an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill to extend TRICARE coverage to all drilling Guard and Reserve members and their families.

After receiving his award, Taylor said, “For our nation to say that there is one force, except when it comes to health care — no. If we are one force, there’s one health care system for everyone.” Taylor is an ardent health care advocate whose early work on health care issues helped win TRICARE For Life.

Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa)

Award: Marix Award

Recognized for: Being the original House sponsor of a bill to provide permanent TRICARE coverage and upgrade the retirement system for all drilling Guard and Reserve members.

Latham said the troops in Iraq told him, “ ‘If you can do anything to help us and honor our service, help our families back home.’ In the Midwest, and in a state like Iowa, and the families that serve in the Guard and Reserve, about 40 percent of these people do not have health insurance. It is something that is simply wrong.”

Sears Holdings Corp.

Award: MOAA Distinguished Service Award

Recognized for: Supporting military employees since 1916; making up the salary difference between Sears and the military for a deployed employee; supporting programs for spouses; donating $2.5 million so children of those who are deployed can participate in recreational camps.

Aylwin Lewis, CEO and president of Sears Holdings Corp., whose son is training to be an Army warrant officer after 10 years in the military, accepted the award. “It’s an honor to be here to accept this award from MOAA,” Lewis said. “We take it seriously. ... It’s easy to support the military. It is the honorable thing to do. I will tell you that a lot of our leaders come from the military. In my mind, there is no finer organization that develops leadership in the young men and women than the military. And we love to bring these folks in [to Sears or K-Mart], and they make an instant contribution. ... Itis our policy, and will continue to be our policy, to support heroes and heroines that serve, and have served, in the military.”

All those wounded in combat in all wars

Award: MOAA Distinguished Service Award

Recognized for: Past and present sacrifice for the nation at risk of life. Capt. Marc Giammatteo, USA, who was seriously wounded in Iraq and had 30 operations, accepted the award on behalf of all servicemembers wounded in combat, past and present.

Giammatteo said he represented a large group of servicemembers and that each wounded individual represented many more people — a mother and father; family and friends; and teams of doctors, nurses, social workers, case managers, and countless volunteers. He continued that all servicemembers are prepared to give their lives to support and defend the Constitution. He said the group he represented was spared, and then he honored those who gave their lives for freedom.

“For us wounded, life continues,” he said. “We are reminded daily of our sacrifice but refuse to be limited by our injuries or defined by our disabilities. ... The warrior ethos still burns strong in all of us, and there is much to be done.” Giammatteo is being medically retired and will attend Harvard Business School.

Gary Leeling, Senate Armed Services Committee staff

Award: Col. Paul W. Arcari Meritorious Service Award

Recognized for: Years of work to authorize a variety of military compensation improvements, including TRICARE For Life, concurrent receipt, and survivor benefits fixes.

After thanking the senators with whom he works, Leeling highlighted the Personnel Subcommittee staff. “We all pull together and we all wonder how to take care of the servicemembers and their families and retirees. Our focus is always on what we can do for them.”

Meredith Beck, Sen. Lindsey Graham’s legislative assistant

Award: Col. Paul W. Arcari Meritorious Service Award

Recognized for: Working tirelessly on people issues that affect military servicemembers, including crafting bill provisions and building bipartisan support for the senator’s efforts to expand health care and retirement benefits for members of the Guard and Reserve.

Beck said, “Senator Graham says that if we are going to transform weapons platforms, we must transform military benefits at the same time to reflect the service of those people who are serving in the military — and that would mean TRICARE for reservists who are doing a very honorable job in the war on terrorism. I also want to recognize the members of MOAA for mobilizing and getting the word out on Capitol Hill.”