MILITARY OFFICERS CALL - Sun City Center Chapter - Florida ...
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MILITARY OFFICERS CALL
Sun City Center Chapter
Military Officers Association of America
P. O. Box 5693, Sun City Center, FL. 33571
Volume 34 Number 7 JULY 2019
NO LUNCHEON
(Next luncheon Sept. 4th)
President’s Message
Benny Blackshire, LTC USA (Ret
VA secretary’s health care fight could affect
the department for decades to come
By: Leo Shane III (Military Times)
“For the first time since the fall of Saigon, more than half
of our veterans are under the age of 65,” Wilkie told Mili-
WE DO NOT MEET IN JULY AND AUGUST. I think tary Times in an exclusive interview last week. “They
everyone knows we take July and August off and do not have very different attitudes when it comes to care. They
have a chapter meeting/luncheon. Our next chapter meet- want care that’s close to home. They want
ing and luncheon will be September 4, 2019. We will tell care that is quick. They’re not from a world where they are
you about the guest speaker in next month’s newsletter. comfortable sitting and waiting.”
YES, we will have a July and August Newsletter to keep Under the VA Mission Act, passed by Congress last
you posted on the latest happenings. summer, the department is set for a sweeping expansion
of its community care program, the rules governing when
We had a smaller turnout for our June meeting, which veterans can see a private health care provider at taxpay-
is normal going into the summer months. I reported to our er expense.
members at the meeting that we had a great Memorial “(Now) the veteran is at the center of his health care, not
Day Ceremony to pay tribute to the 147 local veterans who the institution,” he said, repeating a line he has delivered
had died since our last ceremony. It was a combined ef- to Congress multiple times in recent months. “And if there
fort of the Sun City Center military associations and other is something we cannot provide, he has the option of go-
organizations that made it a great success. I thank every- ing to [the] private sector or waiting for us to provide it.
one that was present. That is a sea change in terms of the way we operate.”
Those congressional appearances are part of a larger
Being part of our local MOAA Chapter supports the ef- offensive by department officials against persistent charg-
forts of MOAA National and they are working hard to fight es that the upcoming changes will outsource too much of
for the benefits we were promised during our service to the department’s responsibilities and resources —
our country. MOAA was instrumental in gaining the larg- “privatization of VA,” according to critics.
est pay raise in 10 years for our service personnel. The A coalition of congressional Democrats and veterans
President’s budget proposal calls for a 3.2% increase in advocates are rallying against the looming changes, say-
military basic pay and that effects military retiree’s pay as ing that pushing too many veterans into the private sector
well. Military pay will remain a top priority for MOAA this will hollow out the federal health care system.
year as they continue to lobby congress. TRICARE bene- The 56-year-old Wilkie — a longtime conservative oper-
fits continue to be under attack as we continue to see in- ative who has held key leadership posts under presidents
creases in what military families must pay. MOAA will con- and members of Congress for three decades — is left in
tinue to fight any increases in TRICARE fees. the middle, working to calm critics and turn the command-
er-in-chief’s boasts into reality.
In closing, I want to thank each of you for continuing to Already well-known and controversial in the veterans
support our Sun City Center Chapter of MOAA. If you community, Wilkie is poised to see his public profile grow
would like to become more involved by being a member of even larger — whether he wants it or not — as that June 6
the board, a chapter officer, or on a committee, please deadline approaches.
drop me an email and we will find the right job for you. For his part, the secretary calls this “the greatest trans-
Have a great summer and we will see you back in Sep- formative period in the history of our VA” and says that the
tember. changes will dramatically improve operations and public
perception of the sprawling veterans bureaucracy, which
Benny employs more than 400,000 people and could see its
budget swell to nearly $220 billion next year.
Editor’s Note: The battle pertaining to privatization is
about to begin in earnest.
JUNE 5th LUNCHEON
CAPT. Richard Petrucci — LTC Benny Blackshire
Navy CAPT Richard Petrucci discusses
Cuban Missile Crises with MOAA
Retired Navy Captain, Richard J. Petrucci was the fea-
tured speaker at the June 5th Military Officers Association
CAPT. Richard J. Petrucci, USN (Ret)
of America (MOAA) luncheon held in the Florida Room at
the North Side Atrium. CAPT Petrucci graduated from the
Naval Academy in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in engi-
neering. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1963 and
MOAA ACTION SITE
served in the Navy for 25 years.
His flying assignments included four tours of duty in Pa- I have created this box to direct members to the
trol Squadrons including command of Patrol Squadron 26 online MOAA ‘Take Action’ site in order to assist
in Brunswick, ME. Dick also graduated from the Naval
Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA with a master's de- MOAA in achieving their legislative goals.
gree in Computer Science, and attended the Naval War Click here and select the issue(s) you would like to
College in Newport, RI.
During his career in the Navy he earned subspecialty have MOAA discuss with your representatives.
designations in Computer Science, Computer Systems Fill in the form and click submit. MOAA will send
Management, Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations, and it to your representatives. You can add your own
Weapons Systems Acquisition Management. comments if you wish.
Dick retired from the Navy in 1986 with the rank of Cap-
tain and joined Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in
Marietta, GA as a senior engineer.
He retired in 1998 and moved to Tampa, Florida. In
2002 he joined the faculty at the Sarasota Military
Academy (SMA), the country's first charter military high
school, where he was Chairman of the Math & Science MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Department for three years. Dick also holds the rank of The Membership Committee Chair is providing the following to
Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol where he update the Chapter membership regarding our Chapter LOE &
served as Deputy Squadron Commander, Aviation MOAA rewards. Also, this article will list new Chapter mem-
Safety Officer, Aerospace Education Officer and Char- bers.
acter Development Instructor for Cadets.
He has over 7,500 hours of pilot time. Dick is also — 203 Chapter members
the Vice President for Education and Director of Youth — 123 LIFE members
Programs for the Sarasota-Manatee Council of the — 30 PREMIUM members
Navy League, — 17 BASIC members
Having entered the Navy at the time of the Cuban — 29 non-MOAA members
Missile Crisis, Dick provided the members with a com-
prehensive review of the details surrounding that New Chapter member(s) last month:
event. He described the chronological events that un- COL Michael Shaw, USA Retired
folded from the start of the Russian/Cuban missile cri-
ses to its successful conclusion. He also provided REMINDER: The Chapter reimburses $100 to members up-
some information relative to the unsuccessful “Bay of grading to LIFE when LIFE certificate is presented to the
Pigs.” Treasurer.
2
Chapter Officers
PRESIDENT
LTC Benny Blackshire, USA (Ret)……………260-3105
bwblacks@aol.com
1st VP
MAJ James Haney, USMC (Ret)……………..220-8758
jhhaney1@gmail.com
Membership Chairman
2nd VP
CDR Cliff Korn USNR (Ret)………………….. 532-0913
cliff@kornhouse.net
SECRETARY
LTC Ed Mooney, USA (Ret)………………….751-6844
edmllc@yahoo.com
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Lt Col Ferris Garrett, USAF (Ret)……….…….841-0532
garrett4@tampabay.rr.com
TREASURER
1st Lt Bob Cochran USA (Fmr)..…………..…677-2606
boblo15@msn.com
ASSISTANT TREASURER
D. Kay Benson (Aux).…………………...….… 938-3030
mamby45@hotmail.com
DIRECTOR
LT Dave Floyd, USN (Fmr)... ……….………...334-7797
DavidFloyd2012@yahoo.com
DIRECTOR
Doris Glass (Aux)…………………………....….642-0497
Luncheon Reservation Coordinator
dobygl@juno.com
DIRECTOR
CAPT Frank Kepley, USN (Ret) ……… ……..642-0801
Public Affairs Officer
Legislative Affairs
Publisher/Editor Officers Call Newsletter
dkepley@tampabay.rr.com
DIRECTOR
Jane Foppe (Aux) ……………………….….....541-2618
ljcfoppe@aol.com
Surviving Spouse Liaison
PAST PRESIDENT
LTC Charles Conover, USA (Ret)…..….…......260-3257
charlierconover@gmail.com
PERSONNEL OFFICER
CDR Ed Socha, USN (Ret) …………...……. .634-4957
Personnel Affairs
Proofreader (newsletter)
ejsfalcon1@frontier.com
JROTC Coordinator
Lt Col James Warchol, USAF (Ret)………..…633-1063
wjammer39@gmail.com
CHAPLAIN
Assistant Personal Affairs
Lt Col Samuel Rorer, USAF (Ret)…..………. 260-3882
srorer@hotmail.com
3
. David J. Gauthier
Certified Public Accountant—Sun City Accounting
Sun City Center, Florida 33573
(813) 634-9500
(813)642-8112-Fax
Income Tax Preparation
Corporate and Business Taxes
Accounting and Bookkeeping
Financial and Investment Planning
Planning for Freedom Plaza Entrance Fees
.
SUN CITY CENTER SARASOTA
1653 Sun City Center Plaza 6371 Business Boulevard
Sun City Center, FL 33573 Suite 200
P: 813-633-7333 Sarasota, Florida 31-21-0
F: 813-633-61-20
P: 800-330-4248
tpayant@payantwealthmanagementgroup.com
WWW.PAYANTWEALTHMANAGEMENTGROUP.COM
Securities and Insurance Services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc.
Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Payant Wealth Management
Group, a registered investment advisor not affiliated with SagePoint Financial, Inc.
4
Bill would expand American Legion
membership eligibility to more veterans
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has filed a bill that
could expand eligibility for American Le-
. gion membership to all veterans who
served since World War II.
The Legion Act, co-sponsored by Re-
publican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina
and filed last Friday, would expand Legion
membership to include honorably discharged veterans who
served during unrecognized times of war since World War
II.
Laird says Enewetak veterans also have trouble access-
ing treatment.
“We’ve been battling (Veterans Affairs) for recognition
and compensation for our health issues and cancers due to
our service cleaning up after 43 nuclear bomb blasts — to
no avail so far,” Laird said.
John Raughter, deputy director of the national American
Legion headquarters, said the veterans organization has
identified 1,600 service members killed or wounded since
World War II during times not officially recognized as peri-
ods of war.
Editor’s note: This would seem to be a ‘no brainer.’
Here’s why the Union Jack is back
CDC reports high flu vaccine efficacy, low flu
The resurgent “great power competi- severity this season
tion” at sea now officially trumps the
Global War on Terror — at least on U.S. The flu vaccine yielded 47% overall efficacy among all
Navy ships. age groups this season and 61% overall efficacy among
Starting with morning colors on June youths ages 6 months to 17 years, as well as 46% efficacy
4, the Navy will return to flying the “Union Jack,” a small blue flag against the dominant strain, compared with 25% efficacy of
emblazoned with the stars of the 50 states — identical to the top last year's vaccine against the dominant strain of the sea-
left corner of the national ensign — from their jackstaffs, small flag- son, CDC researchers have reported.
poles mounted on the bows of all Navy vessels when in port or at
anchor. Sun City Center MOAA Website
Announced in NavAdmin message 039/19 and a Navy press
release, the policy change returns the “First Navy Jack” — and its Don’t forget to visit our new website. The link to the
“Don’t Tread on Me” rattlesnake slithering across thirteen red and website is: http://moaafl.org/chapters/SunCity/ You
white stripes — to its former role of signifying the oldest commis- will find much membership information, photos, cal-
sioned warship in the operational fleet. It currently flies from all endar of events, past newsletters and more. If you
Navy jackstaffs.
would like to suggest topics for inclusion contact Jim
“The Union Jack is deeply connected to our heritage and our rise
as a global nation with a global Navy,” said Chief of Naval Opera- Haney at jhhaney1@gmail.com
tions Adm. John Richardson in his released statement. “The Navy
is a symbol that projects American values to the world. Just as the
Navy embodies the values and principles that we hold dear, our
Publisher/Editor
very appearance in port and at anchor communicates important CAPT Frank Kepley, USN (Ret)
messages.”
The U.S. Navy’s Union Jack shouldn’t be confused with the Unit- We need your input about member activities associ-
ed Kingdom’s national flag of the same name. ated with MOAA and articles of interest to the mili-
tary community. Contact Frank at:
A Seabee on Iwo Jima: The men who drove dkepley@tampabay.rr.com 813-642-0801
cranes and cats also served
By: Jack Cornwell, World War II Magazine MOAA
5 Star
Newsletter
I found this article Seabees on Iwo Communication
Jima very interesting reading. Award
2015 — 2017
5
Across speeches and interviews over the months since
becoming acting secretary, Shanahan has made it clear
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS that if given the full job, he will largely stay the course with
the policies and goals from the Mattis era.
Frank Kepley, CAPT USN (Ret)
Blue Water Navy Bill Passes House Via
Unanimous Vote
MOAA Newsletter
TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress not to dismantle After a unanimous victory in the House
Military Medicine legislation to grant benefits for Agent
Orange exposure to Navy veterans who
The Defense Department’s fiscal 2020 served in the waters off Vietnam will
budget calls for the elimination of about move to the Senate – where it failed to
18,000 military medical positions. This is pass last year.
roughly 20% of the military’s medical The bill passed 410-0. Last year, the House passed relief
force. This reduction in medical capacity for Blue Water Navy veterans 382-0 before the measure
seems to have been developed absent failed in the Senate.
a medical readiness requirement analysis in support of “This is an important hurdle to clear, but it’s one we’ve
combatant operational plans. Instead, they appear to be cleared before,” said MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen.
based on a market or network analysis in the vicinity of in- Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret). “There is more work to be
stallations. done for these veterans who have waited much, much too
A 20% force reduction constitutes a qualitative change to long to receive benefits they’ve earned. But we’re not alone
the military health system, which will cause unintended con- on this: Dozens of senators showed last year they were
sequences and may affect all of American medical care. willing to get this bill to the finish line, and with their support,
These consequences will be felt in the areas of combat cas- and that of other advocacy groups sharing this cause,
ualty care capabilities; recruitment and retention; and in the MOAA remains committed to see this legislation clear all
already taxed civilian health care sector. These changes will the hurdles and reach the President’s desk.”
not only dramatically affect currently serving troops. Retir- An estimated 900,000 veterans have been exposed to
ees could see, and many are already experiencing, reduc- Agent Orange. This legislation would extend disability bene-
tions in care, including pharmacy services. Many TRICARE fits to about 90,000 veterans.
Prime enrollees are already being pushed into the civilian
network for all of their care. This may be just the beginning. Widows Tax Repeal Gains Even More Support
Editor’s note: Click Here to go to MOAA’s Take Action and in Senate and House (MOAA Newsletter)
let your representative know you are against the reduction
in MTF’s. MOAA joined other veteran ser-
vices organizations to continue the
Trump nominates Shanahan as next defense fight to repeal the “widows tax,”
secretary which deducts annuity benefits
paid to surviving spouses as an
offset to a VA benefit for survivors.
After months of expectations, Pat-
James Naughton, MOAA’s asso-
rick Shanahan, an industry veteran
ciate director for government relations, joined surviving
who was thrust into the Pentagon’s
spouses, four senators – Sens. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Susan
top spot after Jim Mattis resigned, is
Collins (R-Maine), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Jim Risch (R-
the president’s official pick as the next
Idaho) – and representatives from other military and veteran
secretary of defense.
advocacy groups on Capitol Hill for a press conference
In a statement, White House Press
where they urged passage of the Military Surviving Spouses
Secretary Sarah Sanders said Shanahan’s nomination was
Equity Act of 2019, which would repeal the offset. The event
“based on his outstanding service to the country and his
is part of a congressional engagement effort led by Veter-
demonstrated ability to lead” the Defense Department. He
ans of Foreign Wars; the topic was one of MOAA’s hallmark
has served as acting Defense Secretary since Jan.1.
advocacy issues during its 2019 Storming the Hill event in
Shanahan, 56, spent decades at Boeing before he was
April, when more than 150 MOAA members from across the
picked in April 2017 by Trump to serve as Mattis’ deputy
country met with federal lawmakers.
secretary of defense. The No. 2 position is essentially the
MOAA joined service organizations and spouses again to
Pentagon’s top manager, responsible not only for its day-to-
urge passage of a similar bill, but in the House: the Military
day priorities, but also for institutional reforms and restruc-
Surviving Spouses Equity Act, which now has a whopping
turing sought by the administration.
312 co-sponsors and was introduced by Rep. Joe Wilson (R
The nomination comes just days after the conclusion of
-S.C.).
an Inspector General investigation into whether Shanahan
Jim Risch (R-Idaho), called the widows tax “unfair” and
violated his ethics agreement by pushing products made by
“outrageous” to military families. He said he believes this
his former employer. Shanahan consistently denied any
will be the year when the offset is finally repealed.
wrongdoing, but the investigation is believed to have held
up any potential nomination.
6
Defense Department pushing ahead to merge carry forward into fiscal 2020 — going from 14,000 employ-
commissary and exchange systems ees worldwide to 12,500.
The budget cut comes as the Defense Department is
moving toward merging the three military exchange sys-
Defense officials are a
tems and the commissary system into one “defense resale
step closer to merging the
enterprise,” in efforts to save money.
three military exchange
systems and the commis- Editor’s note : See previous article.
sary system into one
“defense resale enter- Senate Bill Would Change How VA Recovers
prise.” Overpayments
In a memo signed March 1, MOAA Newsletter
Lisa Hershman, acting DoD chief management officer, ap-
proved the business case for the merger. A limit to how much VA can deduct
The merger will require the approval of Congress and from disability pay to cover erroneous
nothing is yet final. Current law requires the Defense De- overpayments, and to how long the
partment to operate separate commissary and exchange department can wait to bill beneficiar-
systems, so that law would have to be repealed. Another ies, are among measures proposed to
law prohibits DoD from using any taxpayer dollars to imple- protect veterans as part of a new Sen-
ment consolidation of resale entities until Oct. 1, as law- ate bill.
makers evaluate the proposal. The VA Debt Fairness Act, S. 805, was introduced by
In the meantime, a task force will continue with planning Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and
efforts for a consolidated organization, stated Hershman, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). It would shield veterans
who is in the position that ranks third in the DoD hierarchy. from repaying costs connected to VA accounting mistakes.
The consolidation of the commissary and exchange sys- Currently, funds are recouped by withholding some or all of
tems also must be approved by acting deputy secretary of a veteran's monthly disability payments, which can cause
defense David Norquist. A source said he is expected to financial hardships for veterans and families.
approve the proposal within days; a report and legislative “Punishing disabled veterans for the VA's accounting
proposals will then be sent to Congress. mistakes is a cruel way to serve those who have sacrificed
Officials have said that the first step would be to merge the most for our country,” said Tester, ranking member of
the exchange systems — Army and Air Force Exchange the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “Veterans rely on
Service (AAFES), Navy Exchange Service Command and their VA disability benefits to pay for their homes or medical
Marine Corps Exchange. care. This bill will protect veterans their families from un-
A coalition of 27 military and veteran organizations asked necessary financial difficulty when the VA has sloppily
leaders of the House and Senate armed services commit- managed its books.”
tees for more study and congressional oversight before The bill would:
allowing DoD to merge the commissary and exchange sys-
tems. • Only allow the VA to collect debts that occur as a result
“We are very concerned that proposals to merge the vari- of an error or fraud on the part of the veteran or their
ous elements of the defense resale system may post a beneficiary.
threat to its continued viability,” stated a March 8 letter • Limit the VA's deduction from a veteran's monthly pay-
signed by leaders of the 27 groups in The Military Coalition, ment to 25 percent in order to recoup overpayment or
representing 5.5 million service members, veterans, their debt.
families and survivors.
• Prevent the VA from billing veterans for debts incurred
Editor’s note: This one has a long way to go. more than five years prior.
DoD wants to sharply cut commissary budget • Require the VA to provide veterans with a way to up-
date their dependency information on their own, elimi-
as overall defense budget increases nating a key processing delay for veterans, which fre-
quently contributes to the VA making overpayments.
The commissary budget will take a Overpayments from the VA have increased since 2013,
21 percent cut in fiscal 2020, if the according to a VICE news report. In one recent year, the
Defense Department’s budget re- VA sent about 200,000 overpayment notices to veterans.
quest is approved by Congress.
Defense officials are asking for $995
million in taxpayer funding to operate
the 236 commissary stores worldwide, down from $1.27
billion in fiscal 2019, according to DoD budget documents JOIN TODAY
released Tuesday.
Gleason said the Defense Commissary Agency doesn’t Not a member of MOAA? When you join MOAA, you
expect the cut to have any impact on customers. become part of the strongest advocate for our mili-
Part of the reduction is due to an 11 percent decrease in tary's personnel and their families. The stronger our
the commissary work force. Those work force cuts in the
membership is, the stronger our voice becomes.
Defense Commissary Agency started in fiscal 2019 and will
Consider joining today because every voice counts.
7
Navy drops all criminal charges against Editor’s note: You’d think that as many years as it takes to
commander, junior officer in Fitzgerald earn 4 stars, one would fully understand the ramifications of
‘unlawful command influence.’
collision cases
The Navy is expected to drop criminal Lt. Col. Richard Cole, Last of the Doolittle
charges against the commanding officer Raiders, Dies at 103
of the warship Fitzgerald and another MOAA Staff
officer who were facing court-martial tri-
als tied to the fatal 2017 collision with a Richard Cole, who served as Lt.
merchant vessel, according to Navy offi- Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle's copi-
cials and the family of one of the fallen sailors. lot on the famed 1942 Tokyo Raid
“The cases are being dismissed for legal reasons that and was the last surviving member of
impede the continued prosecution of either officer,” the the Doolittle Raiders, died Tuesday
message states. Instead, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer in San Antonio, according to multiple
will issue letters of censure to both officers, the message media reports. He was 103.
stated. Cole, a Life Member of MOAA, retired from the Air Force as
A prepared statement from the Pentagon emailed to Navy a lieutenant colonel. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1940
Times revealed that Spencer made his decision following a and was in Augusta, Ga., for a training exercise when he
recommendation from the CNO. heard the news that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Har-
“The comprehensive program to improve Navy readiness bor, Cole said in a 2016 interview with Military History mag-
and training, to do everything possible to ensure that acci- azine.
dents like this will not recur, remains on track. The Navy Later, he volunteered for what would become known as
continues to strive to achieve and maintain a climate of op- the Tokyo Raid, in which 80 men flew 16 modified B-25
erational excellence. bombers off the USS Hornet (CV-8) in the Pacific Ocean
toward the island of Japan.
In
the aftermath of the Fitzgerald collision, “The raid was designed for two reasons,” Cole told Gary
Sinise at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, dur-
months of legal fury end in a whimper ing an interview that was part of a 2017 PBS Memorial Day
(Navy Times)
special. “One was to prove to the Japanese that their island
could be struck by air, and to prove to the Japanese people
Nearly two years after the guided-
that their higher-ups weren't being truthful.
missile destroyer Fitzgerald’s fatal colli-
“The other reason was to be a morale booster to the Unit-
sion with a merchant vessel, the Navy’s
ed States and the Allies. We did that, and we were proud of
journey to justice fizzled out late
that.”
Wednesday with an unsigned Navy press
release announcing charges were being
dropped. There are 12 big changes veterans caregivers
For months, the Washington Navy Yard had been prepar- will see in the next year
ing for a courtroom showdown between military prosecutors (Military Times)
and attorneys defending the Fitz’s commanding officer,
Cmdr. Bryce Benson, and one of his junior subordinates, Lt. Tens of thousands of family care-
Natalie Combs givers across the country provide
Both cases had been plagued by a series of military mis- daily assistance to wounded veter-
steps by Richardson, his top aide and nominated replace- ans, but advocates say the federal
ment Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran, as government is just now on the verge
well as other senior leaders that damaged the cases of fully embracing their role in veter-
against the two defendants and ultimately made trying them ans’ medical care.
in a Navy courtroom a challenge. Late last month, Veterans Affairs
Dubbed the “mortal enemy of military justice,” UCI occurs officials agreed to a set of 12 recommendations offered by
when superiors utter words or take actions that coerce the a special advisory group of veterans advocates and com-
outcome of courts-martial, jeopardize the appellate process munity activists, the culmination of 18 months of work by
or undermine public confidence in the armed forces by ap- the panel.
pearing to tip the scales of justice. Supporters say the ideas will help codify caregivers into
The military judge in Benson’s trial ruled in December that the VA system: guaranteeing their inclusion in medical
statements by Richardson and Moran constituted apparent check-ups, creating new training and support services and
UCI. expanding research into their challenges. The results, they
Combs’ attorneys eagerly awaited a similar finding in the hope, will not only improve VA offerings but also the civilian
junior officer’s trial. health care community nationwide.
A Navy official said Thursday night that the UCI motions VA officials said the changes will be put in place over the
in the cases did not affect leadership’s decision to dismiss next year. Recently, Military Times sat down with Elizabeth
the charges. Dole, chair of the commission (and herself a caregiver to
“It’s just really troubling,” said Lawrence Brennan, a re- former U.S. Senate majority leader Bob Dole, a wounded
tired Navy captain, military attorney and law school instruc- World War II veteran), and Steve Schwab, CEO of the Eliz-
tor. “Somebody needed to go in and give the lecture to the abeth Dole Foundation, to break what the new recommen-
CNO and the Vice Chief to say, ‘Thou shalt not open your dations mean.
mouth about this case.’” Editor’s note: Click here to see the 12 recommendations.
8
Want to buy beer or wine at your Vern Buchanan: VA Needs to Examine How
commissary? You may have to wait for the Veterans Are Treated in Nursing Homes
libation deliberation
With media reports finding veterans
Commissary officials will likely change, being harmed at VA run nursing homes
expand and test the assortments of beer around the country, U.S. Rep. Vern
and wine in the first 12 stores that cur- Buchanan, R-Fla., is calling for an-
rently sell it, before making any decisions swers.
about which stores will see the libations This week, Buchanan pointed to recent reports in USA
next. Today and other outlets that veterans were being harmed
But while there might be more of a selection, that doesn’t at VA nursing homes in more than 20 states.
mean the amounts will dramatically increase. As one in- “The report cited veterans moaning for lack of adequate
dustry source put it, there’s only so much shelf space medication to a dementia patient whose foot was stuck in
available in commissary stores, and they’re not going to his wheelchair for hours as staff walked by without offering
take out baby food and diapers to make room for beer and any assistance,” the congressman’s office noted. “Some of
wine. the most disturbing revelations found that many facilities
No decisions have yet been made about which stores failed to prevent and control infections, that two out of
will sell the libations next, according to Rick Brink, a three nursing homes didn’t follow simple protocols such as
spokesman for the Defense Commissary Agency. wearing gloves and gowns when treating patients as well
So far, the commissary introduction of beer and wine as exposing veterans to hazardous conditions at dozens of
isn’t bringing a massive increase in sales. Cumulative beer VA nursing homes.”
and wine sales for the 12 commissaries from the start on With almost 90,000 veterans in his district, Buchanan
July 23 through April 6 were $717,005, according to Brink. wrote U.S. VA Sec. Robert Wilkie on the matter.
That includes $329,419 worth of beer and $387,586 worth
of wine. Voice analysis software may help diagnose
The selections have been purposely kept small at the 12 PTSD in veterans
stores, and are being culled and changed, said one indus-
try source. Beer and wine sales are expected to be rolled Voice analysis software can help detect post-traumatic
out slowly to other stores, he said, as officials evaluate the stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans based on their speech,
initial sales, and remain sensitive to the needs of custom- a study suggests.
ers, and the military services’ desires to deglamorize alco- Doctors have long understood that people with psychiat-
hol. As commissaries have started selling beer and wine, ric disorders may speak differently than individuals who do
they were implementing measures that promote the re- not have mental health problems, researchers note in De-
sponsible use of alcohol. pression and Anxiety. While some previous research
points to the potential for distinct speech patterns among
A Tennessee clinic swindled the military out people with PTSD, it’s been unclear whether depression
of $65M. This is how it got caught that often accompanies PTSD might explain the unique
voice characteristics.
A former Marine helped recruit service members for a In the current study, voice analysis software detected
scheme to bilk the Department of Defense for cash by pur- which veterans had PTSD and which ones did not with 89
chasing tubes of scar cream that did nothing to treat scars percent accuracy.
for insane prices, according to a remarkable investigation “Those with the PTSD talked more slowly (slower tongue
by the Nashville Tennessean. movement), were more monotonous with fewer bursts of
vocalization, were less animated and energetic (lifeless) in
• Two doctors and a nurse at the Tennessee clinic have their speech, and had longer hesitations and a flatter
already pleaded guilty to defrauding Tricare to the tune tone,” said lead study author Dr. Charles Marmar, chair of
of $65 million, while several other suspects, including psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine in New York City.
the former Marine and employees at a Utah-based
pharmacy, have already admitted to their role in the
scheme. Trump in Atlanta Vows to Fight Opioid Abuse
• The scam itself was simple, according to the Tennes- Epidemic-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
sean: "The Marine was being paid to get medicine he
President Donald J. Trump and
didn't need. A Tennessee doctor he had never met
First Lady Melania Trump ad-
wrote him a medicinal cream prescription, which was
dressed thousands of addiction
being filled by a pharmacy in Utah. The military cov-
experts, counselors, and law-
ered the bill and the Marine got a cash kickback from
enforcement officers at the Rx
somebody."
Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit in
• The medicine Mederma, supposedly used to treat pain Atlanta. In addition to discuss-
and scars, runs for about $30 a tube on Amazon; ac- ing the need for border security to cut off the illicit drug
cording to the investigation, the Tennessee pharmacy supply, the President also made clear that no bad actors
was prescribing the stuff to Marines at $14,500 a tube would be off the hook. “We are holding Big Pharma ac-
as far back as 2015. countable,” he said to applause.
Marines were paid about $300 in illegal kickbacks each Editor’s note: Fighting ‘Big Pharma” lobbyers is probably
month," according to the investigation. more difficult than fighting ISIS.
9
A robot battled the Notre Dame blaze Chelsea Manning will have to stay in jail for
contempt, appeals court says
The fire at Notre Dame on Monday
was followed by stories about pledges A federal appeals court rejected a bid by
to rebuild the historic cathedral. One of former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea
the lesser-known stories is about how a Manning to be released from jail for refusing
robot was called upon to battle the infer- to testify to a grand jury investigating Wik-
no. "Colossus" is a special robot designed to fight fires in ileaks. The three-paragraph, unanimous deci-
situations that are too dangerous for human firefighters. sion from a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court
The robot can even carry victims to safety if needed. of Appeals in Richmond rejects both Manning's argument
There are a lot of stories these days about the march of that she was erroneously found in civil contempt of court
robots and how machines are replacing humans in all man- and her request for bail while the contempt decision is liti-
ner of jobs. This isn't one of those stories. This is about a gated.
robot being used to do the kind of work that even the brav- Manning served seven years in a military prison for leak-
est firefighters couldn't do safely. ing a trove of military and diplomatic documents to Wik-
ileaks before then-President Barack Obama commuted the
A last salute to a Raider: Air Force bids remainder of her 35-year sentence. Under the terms of the
farewell to Lt. Col. Dick Cole judge’s contempt finding, Manning will remain jailed until
she agrees to testify or until the grand jury’s term is con-
Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole, in a cluded. That date is unknown.
service that included tributes from his
son, the service’s top leaders, and fly- New legislation would recognize nine more
overs of modern and vintage aircraft diseases caused by Agent Orange
from World War II.
Cole, who died April 9 at the age of A group of lawmakers introduced legis-
103, was the last living link to the Doolittle Raiders — 80 lation that would add nine more diseases
U.S. Army Air Forces airmen who flew 16 modified B-25B to a list of conditions presumed to be
Mitchell bombers off of an aircraft carrier to strike mainland caused by the chemical herbicide Agent
Japan, a few months after Pearl Harbor. Their mission took Orange, giving veterans who suffer from
place on April 18, 1942 — 77 years to the day before them a fast-track to Department of Veterans Affairs disabil-
Cole’s memorial service was held. ity compensation and health care.
Cole, then a second lieutenant, was the co-pilot to Lt. The Keeping Our Promises Act, introduced last week,
Col. Jimmy Doolittle, who planned and led the audacious, adds prostate cancer, bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, hy-
unprecedented raid. Though the mission caused only mi- pertension, stroke, early-onset peripheral neuropathy, AL
nor damage to its targets, it sent a message that America amyoloidosis, ischemic heart disease and Parkinson-like
was ready to fight back, and buoyed spirits on the home- syndromes to a list of diseases presumed to be caused by
front. Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.
Editors note: See article on page 8. Researchers with the National Academy of Medicine re-
leased findings in November that there was “suggestive”
Washington Nationals partner with Air Force evidence that eight of the diseases could be caused by
to teach new commanders about leadership Agent Orange. For hypertension, researchers found that
“sufficient” evidence exists.
It turns out that Major League
Baseball executives and Air Force Blue Angels begin the shift to Super Hornets
leadership have more in common
than you might think. PENSACOLA, Fla. — As the 2019
That was the most prominent Blue Angels delight fans at air shows
theme coming out of the second- nationwide this year, two former Blue
annual Nats on Base: Leadership Exchange event at Na- Angels have been busy laying the
tionals Park, which involved the Washington Nationals’ groundwork for one of the biggest
higher-ups and Air Force personnel exploring the similari- changes in the team’s nearly 75-year history.
ties and differences between running an MLB franchise Capt. Ryan Bernacchi, commander of the 2016-2017
and being a military commander. Blue Angels, and Cmdr. Frank Weisser, who flew with the
The event was a part of the 2019 Air Force District of team from 2008-2010 and again in 2016 and 2017, recent-
Washington’s Squadron Command and Spouse Orienta- ly oversaw a team of experts helping the Blue Angels
tion Course, where 40 new commanders and their spouses change airplanes for the first time in more than 30 years.
discussed leadership techniques with representatives from The Blue Angels are tentatively scheduled to start flying
other industries, including the Nationals and Washington the The F/A-18E Super Hornet in 2021, the team’s 75th
Redskins. anniversary season. The move to the Super Hornet will
To kick off the panel, the Nationals brought out Mark Ler- mark the first time the elite Navy and Marine fighter jet
ner, the team’s principal owner, and Mike Rizzo, the team’s demonstration team has changed aircraft since it moved
general manager and president of baseball operations, to from the A-4F Skyhawk II to the F/A-18 Hornet back in
give opening remarks. 1986.
10Coast Guard: US Must Work to Prevent a lation. They need hip replacements, eye surgeries, treat-
Fight in the Arctic ment for sleep apnea, mental health disorders and, one
day, probably cancer and dementia. As the military com-
The Arctic's changing climate and the missions designed by the Bush administration lurch une-
growing Russian and Chinese presence venly towards convictions — a federal appeals court re-
in the region signal a greater need for cently tossed aside three years of litigation in the USS Cole
the U.S. to assert its role as an Arctic case — it appears increasingly likely that many of these
nation, with the Coast Guard contributing men will grow old and die on the U.S. taxpayer’s dime.
significantly to keeping the area "conflict- The United States has committed to providing the same
free," according to a new strategic outlook published Mon- health care to the remaining detainees that it provides to its
day by the service. own troops, as required by the Geneva Conventions. But
To ensure that the U.S. maintains its leadership in the the secure medical facilities built to treat the detainees
Arctic, the Coast Guard must work with the U.S. Navy and can’t cope with every kind of surgery geriatric patients typi-
collaborate with Arctic nation partners and alliances, notes cally need, and weren’t built to last forever. Congress has
the strategy, the U.S. Coast Guard's Vision for the Arctic prohibited the transfer of detainees to the continental Unit-
Region. ed States, which means any treatment they receive will
The service also needs to build out its fleet of icebreak- have to take place at a remote outpost on the tip of Cuba.
ers, aircraft and communications systems to ensure the
safety and security of the Arctic "even as our aspiring ... Sailors from every active fleet responded to a
competitors maneuver for strategic advantage in the area," ProPublica callout, noting a continued lack of
the report states. training, widespread exhaustion and an acute
The strategic outlook is the first new policy paper by the sense of vulnerability
service since 2013. According to Coast Guard Comman-
dant Adm. Karl Schultz, it "reaffirms the Coast Guard's The responses by the sailors —
commitment to American leadership in the region through consistent, repeated — can be jar-
partnership, unity of effort, and continuous innovation." ring to read:
Are you getting enough sleep?
Is Poor Scam Awareness Among Seniors A “No.”
Harbinger Of Alzheimer Dementia? Do you feel well-trained to do your
job? “No.”
America's elderly are being robbed to the tune of $37 Have there been scenarios in which you or your bosses
billion per year. The problem has an added dimension of had concerns about the safety of the ship and crew but felt
urgency, as older adults hold most of the nation's house- they could not say no to new tasking? “Yes.”
hold wealth. Please rate your confidence in Navy leadership in the
People who fall prey to scam artists do not all have de- Pentagon. “I am not confident.”
mentia. However, researchers have long been aware that a On Feb. 26, ProPublica published a callout aimed primar-
slight, but noticeable and measurable decline in cognitive ily at active-duty men and women in the U.S. Navy. We
abilities, including memory and thinking skills, could place had published two stories about neglect, exhaustion and
a person at increased risk of Alzheimer's or another de- deadly mishaps in the 7th Fleet, the largest armada any-
mentia. Patricia Boyle, PhD, of Rush Alzheimer's Disease where and once the Navy’s crown jewel. Now, we wanted
Center in Chicago, and colleagues hypothesized that low to take a measure of the confidence in the many reforms
scam awareness was one of the subtle signs associated the Navy had announced in assuring the nation that it was
with incident mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's addressing the systemic shortcomings laid bare after two
dementia. fatal accidents in the Pacific in 2017.
"When a con artist approaches an older person, they're Editor’s note: Hard to believe that the troops are not re-
looking for a social vulnerability -- someone who is open to ceiving, or think they aren't receiving, any improvements in
having a conversation with a complete stranger," said training and sleep time, nor do they perceive any improve-
Boyle to the press. Then the older person must interpret ments in the effectiveness of their leaders.
that stranger's intentions and emotions, with little else to go
on, in deciding whether to believe what they're peddling, Change That Took Effect This Year
she explained.
Stolen Valor
Guantanamo Is Becoming a Nursing Home for The penalty for wearing unauthorized med-
Its Aging Terror Suspects als of valor has increased from 6 months
to a maximum of one-year confinement
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL along with forfeiture of pay and a bad-
BASE, Cuba — The oldest man still conduct discharge, the Army said. This
held in military detention here is 71 includes wearing an unauthorized Medal of
years old. Many others are in Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver
their 50s. Star, Purple Heart, or valor device. The
It’s not entirely clear how the U.S. government plans to maximum penalty for wearing any other unauthorized med-
care for them in their old age. al is still six months.
The 40 remaining prisoners at Guantanamo Bay Naval Editor’s note: I have seen some 4-star generals that do not
Base have the same physical ailments of any aging popu- have that many ribbons (on the wrong side as well).
11Military, Vets’ Groups Want Scrutiny rick Shanahan called the move a necessary step to combat the
of Commissary-Exchange Merger Proposal “scourge” of sexual assault and abuse in the ranks.
MOAA Newsletter A new report from the department’s Sexual Assault Prevention
and Response office shows the number of reported cases of sexu-
al assault in the ranks rose from nearly 4,800 in fiscal 2016 to more
Military and veterans' organizations have
than 6,050 in fiscal 2018.
asked Congress to increase oversight of a
During testimony on Capitol Hill, Shanahan promised new action
Pentagon proposal to merge the commis-
to deal with issues of harassment and retaliation against victims of
sary and exchange systems, asking for a
those assaults. Defense officials said they hope to have new crimi-
review by government auditors and con-
nal penalties in place by this October, including “steps to seek a
gressional hearings.
stand-alone military crime of sexual harassment.”
Military Coalition members said they aren't opposed to the idea
Combating sexual harassment and assault has been a focus of
but urged caution in implementing changes to what they described
military leaders in recent years, but lawmakers have expressed
as a "fragile military community ecosystem that may impact other
frustration with the lack of progress on the topic.
important programs."
"We are very concerned that proposals to merge the various
elements of the defense resale system may pose a threat to its Navy Vet Lawmaker Introduces Measure to
continued viability and request further study and oversight by Con- Repeal Tax Hike for Gold Star Families
gress," stated The Military Coalition letter, signed by the organiza- MOAA Newsletter
tions' chiefs.
The group wants the Government Accountability Office to review Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, introduced the
the proposal and called for hearings so that interested parties legislation, the Gold Star Family Tax Re-
could "express their concerns." lief Act, or H.R. 2481, which would classify
Earlier this year, a task force drafted a business case analysis survivor benefits as earned income, re-
supporting that the Army and Air Force Exchange System, Navy ducing the tax burden of the payments.
Exchange and Marine Corps Exchange consolidate to streamline A retired Navy commander and graduate
store operations. of the U.S. Naval Academy, she said
The report concluded that the merger would cost $500 million in Gold Star families have "already paid the ultimate price" and
implementation, but would save an estimated $700 million to $1.3 shouldn't have to suffer.
billion in the first five years. "It broke my heart when a surviving spouse from coastal Virginia
alerted me to this injustice," Luria said in a release. "I knew I had to
VA comes out against bills on medical marijuana fight for her in Congress to fix a broken system that should be
working for her and her family."
for veterans “This is yet another consequence of the widows tax. Ending the
financial penalty would ensure military survivors receive the full
The Department of Veterans Affairs opposes
amounts of their DoD provided Survivor Benefit P and BA-earned
three legislative proposals that would expand
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation without offset. If Con-
research on medical marijuana at the VA and
gress eliminated the widows tax, survivors wouldn’t be forced to
give veterans access to the drug in states
transfer their benefits to their children, a short-term solution with
where it is legal.
long-term financial ramifications to military families.”
During a hearing VA health-related bills un-
--- James F. Naughton Jr., Associate of Government Relations
der consideration by Congress, VA officials told House lawmakers
that as long as marijuana is illegal under federal law, the depart-
ment cannot support legislation that promotes its role at the VA. Lawmakers urged to expand veterans' access to
Three of the bills before the House Veterans Affairs health sub- telehealth
committee relate to medical marijuana. One, the Veterans Equal
Access Act, H.R. 1647, sponsored by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D- A Federal Communications Commission report found that veter-
Oregon, would allow VA health providers to recommend medical ans are failing to take advantage of critical telemedicine services
marijuana to their veteran patients and fill out the necessary paper- and suggests Congress should find ways to connect more of them
work for them to enroll in state marijuana programs. to broadband networks. The report advocates for "veteran-specific
Blumenauer, who has introduced the bill in every Congress outreach and education about broadband."
since 2014, said that, for some veterans, marijuana and cannabis Editor’s note: The new Riverview clinic will have telehealth.
derivatives are lifesavers that keep them from using addictive med-
ications such as opioids to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, Florida Council of Chapters Communiqué
chronic pain, seizures and glaucoma. Yet VA health care providers
June 2019 Issue
are not allowed to recommend it.
Editor’s note: This ruling will probably change in time. Congress See what the other Chapters are doing. The Florida Coun-
will continue to push for the research. cil of Chapter’s newsletter, the “Communiqué” can be ac-
cessed by clicking on the link below. After you click the
Defense Department to make sexual harassment link and then click Allow, it may take a minute or so for the
a crime newsletter to pop up. It is worth the wait.
Apr2014.pdfhttp:www.moaafl.org/communique
Defense Department officials will make sexual harassment a
criminal offense amid new reports of increasing bad behavior Editor—Polly Parks. Send articles and photos to:
among service members.
Pollly Parks pparks@igc.org
In a statement Thursday morning, acting Defense Secretary Pat-
13NEW MEMBER It’s a stark change from the decades of cheap, surplus
COL John A. Otis, USA (Ret) electricity that propelled the Nordic region’s biggest econo-
my into one of the richest and most industrialized nations in
Colonel John A. Otis retired from the the world. Now, electricity supplies in urban areas can’t
Army in 1996 with 30 years of service. keep up and that could exacerbate a slowdown already
He subsequently worked as an Army impacted by global uncertainty and Brexit.
contractor and Senior Logistician for
Battelle in support of the Deputy Chief Soldier climbs over safety railing and falls
of Staff for Logistics and Readiness, into active volcano
Headquarters, Army Materiel Com-
mand, Fort Belvoir, Virginia when he retired in 2010. One common ingredient of every lib-
His Army assignments included duty as Service Platoon erty brief is a senior enlisted service
Commander, 175th Assault Helicopter Company in Viet member, standing center stage in front
Nam in 1969; Company Commander 591st Transportation of junior personnel in a sit-kneel-stand
Company (Acft DS) in USAREUR in 1971; Company Com- circle, bellowing warnings about do’s
mander 42nd Heavy Equipment Maintenance (HEM) in and don’ts so outlandish they are inevi-
USAREUR in 1972; Battalion Commander 5th Transporta- tably met with scoffs of those in attend-
tion Battalion (AVIM), 101st ABN Div (Air Assault) 1983- ance. “You know the only reason I bring this up is because
1985; Division G4 101st ABN Div 1986; Division Support it’s been done before,” the top would say, no matter the
Command (DISCOM) commander 6th Infantry Division perceived insanity of the scenario.
1988-1989; Chief Supply Policy Division, DA DCSLOG, One 32-year-old soldier provided even more obscure ma-
Pentagon 1991-1992; and Chief of Staff Headquarters terial for lengthy liberty brief orators Wednesday when he
United States Army Military District of Washington 1993- climbed over a safety railing near an active volcano to get a
1996. closer look — and promptly tumbled from the 300-foot cliff
His military education and training included the Armor and into the Kīlauea caldera after losing his footing.
Officer Basic Course, Fixed Wing Aviation Course, Rotary The soldier, who survived the fall, was located a little
Wing Qualification Course, Aircraft Maintenance Officer over two hours later on a ledge 70 feet below the cliff edge,
Course, Transportation Officer Advanced Course, Armed according to a statement from the National Park Service.
Forces Staff College, Air Assault School, and the Army “Visitors should never cross safety barriers, especially
War College. around dangerous and destabilized cliff edges,” said Chief
Colonel Otis graduated from Norwich University in 1966 Ranger and common sense aficionado John Broward.
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and he gradu- “Crossing safety barriers and entering closed areas can
ated from the University of Georgia in 1977 with a Master’s result in serious injuries and death.”
in Business Administration (MBA). A rescue crew, accompanied by rangers from Hawai‘i
Among his military awards and decorations are the Le- Volcanoes National Park, rigged a litter and attached it to a
gion of Merit (3), Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service military helicopter to pull the seriously injured man from the
Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Air Medal, Army Kīlauea caldera, a volcano not currently erupting, accord-
Commendation Medal (2), Vietnam Service Medal (3) and ing to the National Park Service, but one that destroyed
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. His badges include more than 700 homes in 2018.
the Senior Army Aviator Badge, Air Assault Badge, and The soldier, who is based at the Pohakuloa Training Area
Army Staff Identification Badge. on Hawai’i’s Big Island, is being treated at Hawai’i’s Hilo
Colonel Otis and his wife, Dianna reside in Valencia Medical Center.
Lakes in the winter and Montpelier, Vermont in the sum- Editor’s Note: The phrase ‘boggles the mind’ seems a fit-
mer. They have 3 daughters. Two live and work in the ting response to this story.
Tampa area and the third lives in Maryland.
Sweden almost ran out of energy
Sweden's push to shutter its nuclear
power plants and move to renewable
energy sources has outpaced its efforts
to modernize the country's energy grid. Naomi Socha, spouse of CDR Ed Socha, USN (Ret) passed
The result is not enough power in all
away on May 13, 2019. Ed, a Pearl Harbor survivor and
the places that need it. The grid up-
grade is expected to take so long that contingency plans Charter Chapter Member in 1990, was President of the SCC
are already being put in place for when Sweden hosts the TROA Chapter in 1994. He and Naomi were married 70 yrs.
Olympic Games in 2026.
The dire situation stems from the closing of the nation’s
Monthly Member and Board Meetings
oldest reactors and a shift to wind at a time when the grid is
already struggling to keep up with demand in major cities.
The shortage, which impacts the nation’s main urban are-
as, is threatening everything from the rollout of a 5G net- Board Meeting: No board meeting in July
work in the capital to investments in giant data halls and No Membership Committee Mtg. in July
new subway lines. It could even derail Stockholm’s bid for
the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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