Nearly 300 MOAA members and family members from 22 states gathered in San Antonio for the association’s annual meeting (hosted with assistance from the Texas Council of Chapters and the Alamo Chapter). Attendees were able to present their questions and concerns to association officers and staff face-to-face; the agenda also allowed plenty of time for members to network with fellow officers and families.

Getting the party started

Before the board got down to business at its Friday meeting, MOAA hosted a fiesta Thursday, Nov. 17. Association representatives and senior military leaders in attendance welcomed military officers and their spouses from all branches of the armed forces serving in the San Antonio area. MOAA promoted the party as its way of saying, “Thank you for your service.”

Attendees enjoyed margaritas, a variety of Tex-Mex appetizers, and a mariachi band — as well as an assortment of prizes and gifts, including free San Antonio Spurs tickets for the first 100 attendees.

Headquarters employees were on hand to explain MOAA’s member services, with an emphasis on support available to currently serving officers. Representatives from the MOAA Scholarship Fund, The Officer Placement Service (TOPS), and MOAA’s Benefits Information Department answered questions about their respective programs.

III corps commander

Army Lt. Gen. Tom Metz, commanding general of the III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas, spoke at lunch Saturday, Nov. 19. He discussed candidly with attendees the challenges he faced while corps commander of the Multi-National Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where his responsibilities included securing Baghdad and restoring Iraqi control of services. “What people really want in this world is freedom,” Metz said. “We have the strength in our nation to give it to them, and I think we [have] to have the will to win it.”

Metz enlisted in the Army in 1966 and received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. An infantry officer, Metz served in operational and command positions from platoon through division levels. Command assignments included the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized); the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized); and Fort Riley, Kan. He served on the Joint Staff as deputy director for Joint Warfighting Capabilities Assessment and vice director for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment. He also served for four months as the chief of staff, U.S. Central Command, during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Strategic report

MOAA leaders updated attendees on the current state of the association and the strategic plan. Gen. John W. Hendrix, USA-Ret., chairman of MOAA’s board of directors, emphasized the link between strong membership numbers and the association’s clout on Capitol Hill.

MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., had strong words for the misaligned priorities of leaders proposing defense budget cuts in a time of war. He also discussed the association’s efforts to recruit new generations of officers and families while continuing to serve retired members and their surviving spouses.

MOAA CFO Col. Glenn Zauber, USAF-Ret., assured attendees of the good health of the association’s finances before turning the floor over to Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF-Ret., director of Goverment Relations, for a review of legislative goals and achievements. Before the meeting adjourned, attendees questioned Hendrix, Ryan, and members of the national staff on a variety of topics.

Hard-hitting seminars on HOT topics

MOAA’s staff experts set aside Saturday afternoon to lead a series of seminars covering topics of interest to annual meeting attendees. Most seminars were offered twice, to accommodate as many attendees as possible.

• Legislative update: Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF-Ret., director of Government Relations, reviewed recent legislative accomplishments and outlined main agenda items for 2006.
   
• Council & Chapter Affairs brief: Col. Chris Giaimo, USAF-Ret., director of Council and Chapter Affairs, and Deputy Director Col. Jim Pauls, USAF-Ret., focused on why chapters are so important to the association and how they can stay healthy. They offered recommendations for chapters to market themselves to all potential members. Col. Dick Crampton, USA-Ret., director of The Officer Placement Service (TOPS), led a brief discussion of TOPS services, with an emphasis on networking.
   
• Benefits Information update: Capt. Bud Schneeweis, USCG-Ret., director of Benefits Information, updated attendees about changes to military and federal benefits and entitlements, including military retired pay, Survivor Benefit Plan open enrollment, TRICARE health programs, Medicare drug programs, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits. Schneeweis provided tools and guidance for personal affairs planning, giving special emphasis to military spouse benefits issues.
   
• Financial Planning seminars: Former Army Capt. Phil Dyer, CFP, deputy director for financial education, presented two seminars.
  
  “Financial Planning for the Yacht-less: Five Fundamentals of Financial Success,” designed for currently serving, second career, and recently retired members, focused on long-term financial success and included a brief discussion of civilian retirement plans and IRAs.
  
  “Planning for Preserving and Passing Your Hard-Earned Wealth,” designed for retirees, spouses, and people with elderly parents, also covered estate and tax law changes and long term care insurance.