Field Reports
By Col. Chris Giaimo, USAF-Ret., Director, and Col. Jim Pauls, USAF-Ret., Council and Chapter Affairs, and Kris Ann Hegle

The Winner Is...

Each year, MOAA recognizes councils and chapters that publish outstanding newsletters. The computer age, however, has ushered in many new forms of communication. To keep pace with the times, MOAA has expanded its annual competition to include electronic newsletters, Web sites, and other media.

This year, we received an unprecedented number of top-quality entries. We commend the editors and webmasters who took time to enter our contest, and we congratulate the winners listed on these pages.

Members Share Wartime Memories With Elementary School Students

Eighth-grade students at Ripon Elementary School in Ripon, Calif., know a little bit more about the military and our nation’s veterans, thanks to three members of the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Chapter.

Chapter First Vice President Lt. Col. Henry Temme, USAF-Ret., his wife, June, and Lt. Col. Ed Kalina, USA-Ret., drove more than 180 miles round-trip to speak to students at the school. The three were part of a group of military members and veterans who were invited to share their memories with students.

Temme and Kalina, who both are World War II veterans, brought medals, money from faraway lands, aircraft photos, and other props that illustrated what life was like for members of America’s “greatest generation.” June Temme, who taught at Ripon Elementary in 1941, shared her memories of what life was like on the home front.

Several students asked about the types of weapons used in World War II. Others were amused to learn how soldiers on water-starved Pacific islands took their baths in rainwater that was collected in 55-gallon drums.

Following their presentation, the three fielded students’ questions. One student wanted to know how the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor influenced America’s entry into World War II. Another student asked why only women were portrayed on the nose sections of aircraft. Temme smoothly explained it was our troops’ way of showing appreciation for the loved ones they had left behind.

“I would say that [the presentation] was well received,” says Temme. “We were really very appreciative of the response we received from the students.”

The trip to Ripon marked the second time chapter members have shared their wartime memories with area students. Three years ago, Cmdr. Richard Allen, USN-Ret.; Capt. John Siembiech, USN-Ret.; Lt. Cmdr. Arthur Wells, USN-Ret.; and Temme addressed students at the University of California–Santa Cruz.

“We did that on Sept. 12, 2001—one day after the terrorist attack,” says Temme. “We came expecting to speak to about 30 or 40 students. As it turned out, they put us in a lecture hall, and we spoke to about 250 kids.”

The chapter members later received several thank-you letters from professors at the university who remarked about the effect they had on the students. Following the chapter members’ presentations, several students indicated they were going to ask their grandparents about their military service. Others requested videotape copies of the presentation, which had been filmed.

The 100-plus members of the Santa Cruz Chapter undertake many other activities, including a scholarship program for area high school students. This year, they plan to give away two $1,000 scholarships to outstanding college-bound students. The chapter also has its own newsletter and Web site that keep members apprised of upcoming events.