Volume XLII Number 3 Published Monthly (Except July) March 2017

~continued~

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE COL Boyd Nix

THE WALL

President Trump is setting an ambitious timetable for the construction of his promised “big, beautiful border wall.” But aside from potential funding and

political complications, geologists and law enforcement officials are pointing to what could be a bigger challenge: the terrain. Citing everything from bedrock depth to soil chemistry, experts say building a wall spanning the 2,000-mile border will be much tougher than erecting one of Trump's trademark skyscrapers. “Earth doesn’t forgive sloppy,” field geologist Mika McKinnon warned in a tweet following Trump’s directive last month to design and construct the wall. The southern border between the U.S. and Mexico is made up of wetlands, grasslands, desert, rivers, mountains and forests – all of which could pose pitfalls for builders. Swaths of the area also feature a thick layer of loose sediment – like dirt, sand and soil – on top. Some spots are packed with hydrophilic clay soil, which swells, moves and could destroy the foundation. “In some places the bedrock will be too deep – you’ll never be able to reach the bedrock in an affordable fashion,” McKinnon told Smithsonian Magazine. McKinnon says in order to make sure the wall itself doesn’t topple, builders need to survey the land first. Trump in his executive order called for a study to be completed within 180 days that looks at, among other things, "all geophysical and topographical aspects of the southern border." Such planning could entail assembling a team of scientists to test everything from clay particles to loose silt. The Trump administration continues to express confidence it can get the job done -- and quickly. Homeland Security Secretary Gen. John F. Kelly told Fox News he wants the wall finished in two years. The timeline Kelly gave Fox News is different than one laid out in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security internal report obtained by Reuters last week. In it, Trump’s “wall” actually would be a series of fences and walls potentially costing taxpayers twice what the president quoted on the campaign trail. The report put the figure at $21.6 billion – higher than the $12 billion Trump regularly cites. Trump later tweeted that once he gets involved in negotiations, "price will come WAY DOWN!"

TABLE OF CONTENTS PG

President’s Perspective 1-2

Legislative Affairs 3

Feb. Luncheon Photos

Newsletter Notice

4

Membership 5

Scholarship/CS Program 6

May Picnic 7

2017 Executive Board 8

Fred Malvin Honored 9

W&M Puller Clinic 10

April 27th Reception 11

F.Malvin Award Photos 12

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

2

The report also said the wall would take longer to build. It lays out three phases of construction covering more than 1,250 miles by the end of 2020. With 654 miles of the border with Mexico already fortified, the barrier would extend almost the length of the entire border.

The president’s vow to build a wall – and make Mexico pay for it – was a concept first introduced on the campaign trail. It gained momentum and support from like-minded immigration hawks, but drew denunciations from Democrats, immigrant activists and environmentalists. In the Texas border city of Brownsville, Democratic Mayor Tony Martinez questioned the wall’s feasibility and purpose. He also believes the time frame the Trump administration is touting is “nearly impossible.” Martinez accused the Trump administration of offering a quick fix in a difficult location that most Americans – and Washington lawmakers – know little about. Allowances will need to be made in certain areas for flooding because the border crosses numerous floodplains. In New Mexico, engineers will have to carefully carve out areas near Big Bend National Park to keep in compliance with environmental regulations. In some parts of California, they would have to build on sand dunes -- something that, while tricky, is doable. To safely erect a wall in sand, geophysicists would have to conduct extensive seismic surveys to determine what lies beneath. Conducting such a survey would involve installing rows of 3D microphones that detect vibrations in the ground. U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, whose district includes more than 800 miles of border, said it would be “impossible” to build a wall in many places and calls the wall “the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border.” “Each sector of the border faces unique geographical, cultural and technological challenges that would be best addressed with a flexible, sector-by-sector approach,” Hurd said in a written statement. “What you need in San Diego is very different from what you need in Eagle Pass, Texas.” Trump supporter Jon Anfinsen, president of Local 2366 of the National Border Patrol Council in Del Rio, Texas, also has his concerns. Anfinsen told Fox News that while some sectors can support a wall, his in Del Rio, Texas, is “too hilly to feasibly make a wall on its entire stretch of border.” Anfinsen said most border agents are in favor of some sort of wall or fence but stresses “a wall alone won’t make the country safer.” He suggested combining a fence, wall or barrier with new technology and adding manpower to patrol the patchy parts of the border. The original border barrier was authorized under the Secure Fence Act of 2006 which was signed by former President George W. Bush. The legislation OK’d hundreds of miles of fencing along the Mexican border. Over the years, it’s been tweaked and in some areas hastily redrawn, cheating homeowners and businesses out of their own land. When the border wall was first authorized, then-Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison pushed a measure that would give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to decide what type of fence should go up in different areas – the reason why there are so many different types of border barriers in place today.

Boyd Portions of this article taken from the Feb 14,

2017 Fox News article by Barnini Chakraborty.

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

COL Jim Pauls

STATE

The General Assembly meets annually in “Regular Session” beginning the second Wednesday in January for 60 days in “even-numbered” years and for 30 days in “odd-numbered” years. Since this is an “odd-numbered” year, it has concluded its “Regular Session” for the year. There will be a “Reconvened Session” in April for the purpose of considering any “recommendations” being made by the Governor as well as legislation he has vetoed. As I detailed in last month’s newsletter, only two of the seven “Joint Legislative Council” objectives we were supporting were still under consideration at the time I wrote my article: an initiative to redefine the operation of the Department of Veteran Services’ “Virginia Veteran and Family Support Services” office and to increase the funding of the office; and yet another attempt to get the Legislature to support efforts to enact provisions to enable Virginia residents who are in the military to be able to accomplish “Absentee Voting” electronically when they are deployed. It appears the “Virginia Veteran and Family Support Services” initiatives have been approved but the “Absentee Voting” initiative FAILED, rather astonishingly, to get required Legislative support! Bottom line: only one of the seven Joint Legislative Council initiatives we were supporting was adopted by the Legislature. As any Baseball fan would tell you, 1-7 is NOT TOO GOOD!

NATIONAL

Before their adjournment in December, Congress overwhelmingly passed and President Obama, somewhat reluctantly, signed the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law which gave military members a 2.1% pay raise, 1.6% more that the Obama Administration had proposed, halted proposed military personnel reductions and increased end strengths for the Army by 16,000, the Marines by 3000, and the Air Force by 4,000. It also extended the payment of a “Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance,” which is paid to widows of deceased military members who died in combat or of a combat-related medical condition, at the current rate of $310 a month until May 2018. There were other positive aspects of the NDAA but I mention these two because I think these two issues still remain very important for us. As we look to what we should expect this year, the news for the military looks very good indeed following President Trumps “State of the Union” address! It is rather evident now that the U.S. military is, once again, in sad shape and desperately needs more money, manpower, supplies, and new equipment to meet the challenges it faces! I must admit, however, that I, personally, have a great deal of outrage at the Military Leaders of the various Services who have allowed this to occur over the last 8-plus years!

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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WALT ZAREMBA SPEAKS AT OUR FEBRUARY 23rd LUNCHEON COL Boyd Nix

NOTICE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW WE HAVE BEEN SENDING AN ADVANCED “COLOR” VERSION OF

THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER VIA E-MAIL TO ALL CHAPTER MEMBERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED

AN E-MAIL ADDRESS TO US. INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING THE NEWSLETTER THIS WAY NOT ONLY

RECEIVE IT MUCH EARLIER THAN THE PRINTED PAPER VERSION BUT ALSO SEEM MOST

PLEASED WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE NEWSLETTER – ESPECIALLY THE PHOTOS! A

RECENTLY-COMPLETED BUDGET ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE COST OF PRINTING AND

MAILING THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE. IN ORDER

TO REDUCE THE EVER-INCREASING COSTS OF PRODUCING A “PRINTED” VERSION OF THE

NEWSLETTER, BEGINNING WITH THE MARCH 2017 EDITION, WE WILL DISCONTNUE

SENDING A PAPER VERSION OF THE NEWSLETTER TO THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE

REGISTERED AN E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH US AND ONLY SEND OUT AN E-MAIL VERSION TO

THEM! A ‘PRINTED” VERSION OF THE NEWSLETTER WILL CONTINUE TO BE MAILED TO THOSE

MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT PROVIDED US AN E-MAIL ADDRESS; HOWEVER, WE WOULD

SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT IF ALL CHAPTER MEMBERS WHO HAVE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS

PROVIDE IT TO US TO HELP REDUCE OUR MAILING COSTS EVEN MORE. PLEASE NOTIFY COL

DON KLOVSTAD BY EMAIL AT KLOVSTAD@COX.NET, OR BY PHONE AT 757-728-0330.

Walt Zaremba with Col Boyd Nix

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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Capt Philip Yosway, USN/RET, Patriots Colony

Mrs. Julie Hathway, Patriots Colony

TAPS:

NONE

CURRENT MEMBERSHIP

TOTAL MEMBERS: 285 REGULAR: 214 SURVIVING SPOUSES: 71

REPORT CHANGES TO MEMBERSHIP CHAIR

Please report change(s) of address, rank, marital status, phone number, or email, as well as death of member or

spouse to peninsulamoaa@gmail.com.

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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VIPMOAA 2017 Military Community

Service/Scholarship Fund Donations

You may make a donation to

the VIPMOAA Military

Community Service/

Scholarship Fund when you

send in your Reservation

Coupon for the next VIPMOAA

event. You may also submit a

donation by sending a check

directly to the VIPMOAA, Box

4305, Ft. Eustis, VA 23604-

0305; ATTN: Military

Community

Service/Scholarship Fund

Manager.

Household Document Organization

Margaret E. Mondul, CDR, USN (Ret.)

Let Me Help YOU

Organize, Understand and Prepare

757-220-9285

HHDObyMargaret@aol.com

National Association of Professional Organizers

VIPMOAA SCHOLARSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM

Effective 1 January 2017, we are tracking donations to the "Scholarship and Community Service Program" on a "Calendar Year" versus "Academic Year" basis. Total donations received from 1 July 2016 through 31 Dec 2016 are recognized below. ------------------------------Academic Year 2016/2017---------------------------

As of 31 December 2016 - Total $4,444.00

----------------------------------Calendar Year 2017-------------------------------

DIAMOND LEVEL ($1000.00 PLUS)

PLATINUM LEVEL ($500.00 to $999.00)

GOLD LEVEL ($100.00 to $499.99)

James Hitch, Bryce Hollingsworth

SILVER LEVEL ($50.00 to $99.99)

Robert Whitman

BRONZE LEVEL ($25.00 to $49.99)

Ron Corson, Ken Krantz, Clyde Spence, Harold Story

As of 1 MARCH 2017 - Total $587.00

Special Donations given in Chapter Name:

Colonial Williamsburg Veterans Center – Fred & Donna Malvin Puller Veterans Clinic – W&M Law School – Fred & Donna Malvin

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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THERE’S A PICNIC IN MAY!

COL Ron Corson Well guess what? This May VIPMOAA is going to have a picnic. Yes, that’s right, on Thursday, May 25th at 11:30 AM the VIPMOAA folks will gather for a fun filled afternoon at Waller Mill Park in Williamsburg. The park is an expansive facility of over 2700 acres with a 360 acre fishing lake, canoe and jon boat rentals, volleyball courts, softball fields, horseshoe pits, hiking trails, and large picnic shelters with outdoor charcoal grills. Waller Mill Park located at 901 Airport Road in Williamsburg does not permit alcoholic beverages. So, lemonade and soft drinks are the order of the day. Since our members will be cooking, the price will be right and good times should roll – sun or no sun. The only thing your VIPMOAA Board needs to know is whether you plan to attend. So, on the reservation coupons included in the March and April newsletters, let us know if you plan to attend the VIPMOAA Picnic in May. But tell me for real, “When’s the last time you didn’t have fun at a picnic?”

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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VIPMOAA BOARD MEETINGS Thursday: March 9, April 13, MAY 11

10:00 A.M. Rocco’s Smokehouse Grill

207 Bypass Road Williamsburg, VA 23185-2920 (757) 253-8550

www.mirabellasgrille.net

Members are welcome to attend and may also submit

proposed agenda items in advance to the President.

2017 EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS (ELECTED)

PRESIDENT: COL Boyd Nix, USAF (Ret) (Sharon) bonix1@cox.net 757-221-8130 VICE PRESIDENT: COL Ron Corson USA (Ret) (Alvira) jrcorson@aol.com 757-253-1311 SECRETARY: LTC Jay Harper, USA (Ret) (Ann Marie) lordotis2@gmail.com 757-867-9335 TREASURER: Mrs. Pat Farnsworth ladyfarnsworth@gmail.com 757-220-1853 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: COL John Harms, USMC (Ret) (Bobbie) jandbharms@aol.com 757-645-4771

BOARD OFFICERS (APPOINTED) VCOC REPRESENTATIVE: LTC Stan Gorrell USA (Ret) (Frankie) sgorrelldirect@verizon.net 757-258-9442 SURVIVING SPOUSES LIAISON: Mrs. Kay Palko palkovak@verizon.net 757-229-7231 ASST. TREASURER: CDR Fred Malvin, USN (Ret) (Donna) FMalvin@cox.net 757-345-6548 LEGAL ADVISOR: COL Ron Smith, USA (Ret) (Barbara) smithr123@cox.net 757-345-5728

COMMITTEES CHAPTER EVENTS

CHAIRMAN: COL Ron Corson USA (Ret) FUND RAISING: COL Gloria Diggs, USA (Ret) 804-725-2305

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN: COL Jim Pauls, USAF (Ret) (Marvella) keydetman@aol.com 757-851-1141 VICE-CHAIRMAN: Dr. Bill Tunner (Sallie) btunner33@gmail.com 804-824-2006 MEMBERS: LTC Charley Burch, USAF (Ret) (Nancy) cburch8@va.metrocast.net 804-776-0126 COL Joe Syslo, USAF (Ret) (Teri) joesyslo@verizon.net 804-925-6590 LTC Stan Gorrell, USA (Ret), COL John Harms, USMC (Ret)

COMMUNICATIONS

CHAIRMAN: COL Dan Warren, USA (Ret) (Elaina) dwarrenmd@cox.net 804-642-6597 ADVERTISING: CDR Margaret Mondul, USN (Ret) (Steve) memondul@aol.com 757-220-9285 WEB MANAGER: Kerri Cook, kerricook@comcast.net 757-634-7146 PUBLICITY: COL Dan Warren, USA (Ret) NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Kathy Ridley snoopykath@aol.com 203-415-7690

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN: COL Don Klovstad, USAF (Ret) (Frances) klovstad@cox.net 757-728-0330 RECRUITING: CWO2 Rich Bunger, USN (Ret) shadyldy1@verizon.net 757-253-9118

ROTC/JROTC CHAIRMAN: COL Norm Merski, USA (Ret) merski1@cox.net 757-345-9352 CO-CHAIRMAN: MAJ Frank Duckett, USAF (Ret) (Rose Marie), fduckett@cox.net 757-253-1824

PERSONAL AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN: LTC Jay Harper, USA (Ret) CHAPLAIN: CAPT Larry Shoberg, USN (Ret) (Karen) shobergs@cox.net 757-565-1264

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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FRED MALVIN RECEIVES W&M ALUMNI MEDALLION AWARD COL Boyd Nix

On February 11, 2017, the W&M Alumni Association awarded our VIPMOAA Assistant Treasurer Fred Malvin the very prestigious Alumni Medallion for his outstanding support of his Alma Mater. He and his wife Donna have not missed a W&M Football game in 25 years. Fred is a current member of the Tribe Club, member of the Order of the White Jacket, the Quarterback Club, the President’s Council and the Robert Boyle Legacy Society. In the past, he has served on the Olde Guarde Council and as treasurer of the Muscarelle Museum of Art Foundation. Fred is also involved in many community organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula, Friends of the Homeless, the Waterman’s Museum, St. Stephens Church and Dream Catchers. Fred has been a generous supporter of many William and Mary initiatives, including the Alumni House expansion project.

The photo above shows Fred along with the other 2017 Alumni Medallion recipients Ted Dintersmith ’74, Jeff Trammell ’73, and Troy Keen ’96. Previous recipients of the Medallion Award include former Secretary of Defense Gates ‘65, FBI Director James Comey ’82, actress Glenn Close ‘74 and U.S. Congressman Herb Bateman ‘49.

Fred is a special guy and we are proud to have him as a VIPMOAA Board member but more importantly as a friend! In photo on left are Col Ron Corson, Col Jim Pauls, Ms Pat Farnsworth, Col Boyd Nix, Cdr Fred Malvin, and Lt Col Stan Gorrell. See additional photos on Page 12. CONGRATULATIONS, FRED!

Fred Malvin receiving his Alumni

Medallion from W&M Alumni Assoc.

President Cynthia Jarboe ‘77.

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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WILLIAM & MARY LAW SCHOOL’S PULLER CLINIC – SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED Patricia E. Roberts

In 2008, William & Mary Law School started a clinic focused on helping veterans with disabilities file their compensation claims. The clinic was initially created by two former Army JAG attorneys and William & Mary alumni, both of whom had difficulties successfully navigating the complex process when filing their own claims. The clinic would eventually be named after Vietnam veteran, Marine, and Pulitzer Prize winning author of the novel, Fortunate Son, Lewis B. Puller, Jr., as a memorial gift by his classmates in William & Mary Law School’s Class of 1974. The Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic at William & Mary (Puller Clinic) partnered at the outset with Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU’s) Center for Psychological Services and Development (CPSD), with veterans treated holistically across disciplines and institutions. The Puller Clinic was the first law school veterans’ clinic in the country to address both the legal and psychological needs of veterans, and it did so using faculty and graduate students from both William & Mary and VCU. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia referred to the Puller Clinic model as a “win-win-win,” for students, veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). By providing comprehensive claims packages developed from factual and legal investigation and analysis by the Puller Clinic, and medical evidence from CPSD, students gained outstanding professional training, veterans increased their likelihood of success in their claims, and the VA had the necessary information to make informed decisions. Since its inception, the Puller Clinic has represented more than 150 veteran clients in long-term representation in over 1,000 claims. For claims adjudicated thus far by the VA, the Puller Clinic procured more than a 60% increase in benefits for veteran clients; recovered earned and owed back compensation benefits for veteran clients of approximately $1 million, with a present value of benefits over their lifetimes of more than $20 million; provided advice and counsel and made referrals to hundreds of additional veterans; and trained more than 200 law students in veterans benefits law, many of whom continue to represent veterans on a pro bono basis after they graduate. The students and attorneys of the Puller Clinic provide more than half a million dollars annually in pro bono legal services. In 2015, the Puller Clinic also started an advice and counsel program, in partnership with the Starbucks Armed Forces Network, called Military Mondays. Twice monthly on Monday afternoons, Puller Clinic faculty and students meet with veterans by appointment at the McLaws Circle Starbucks in Williamsburg, Virginia. These one hour appointments help provide veterans with next steps in their claims, including suggestions for additional evidence development and likelihood of success at various stages of the claims process. The Military Mondays program was created by the Puller Clinic, and it now has iterations in more than 30 locations in more than 21 different states. Puller Clinic faculty and students donate an additional $45,000 in fair market value services annually to Military Mondays. Recognizing that the efficacy in support of their veteran and military clients could continue to be improved through more formal collaboration with other law school veterans’ clinics across the country, the Puller Clinic became a founding member of the newly created National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium (NLSVCC) in order “to provide a unified voice to identify and advance the needs of the law school veterans’ clinics, and more importantly, the veterans they serve before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Congress, and other federal entities.” This non-profit will maximize opportunities for the nation’s law school veterans’ clinic to share best practices in representing veterans, and work toward systemic change in the claims process for all veterans. The Puller Clinic relies heavily on private funding from individual donors and organizations, and is grateful to VIPMOAA and the Malvins for their generosity in supporting our work. William & Mary Law School and the Puller Clinic look forward to welcoming VIPMOAA’s members on April 27th in our newly completed addition dedicated to experiential learning, with a presentation on our work at 5:00, followed by a reception in the new space.

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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VIPMOAA FUTURE MEETINGS 2016

MAY 25 – Picnic JUNE 22 – Langley AFB Buffet JULY – Recruiting Event

VIPMOAA generally rotates chapter

meetings between Langley AFB/Hampton,

Williamsburg and Newport News.

Meetings are usually the 4th Thursday except July (no meeting), November & December (scheduled

not to conflict with holidays). We also plan

an outing or outings each year.

WILLIAM & MARY LAW SCHOOL PULLER CLINIC POC: CDR Fred Malvin, USN FMalvin@cox.net 757-345-6548

DATE: Thursday, April 27, 2017 TIME: 5:00 P.M. Reception GUEST SPEAKER: Professor Patricia E. Roberts DRESS: Casual

MENU: HORS D’OEUVRES

COST: $12.00 per person

CLIP & MAIL RESERVATION COUPON for RECEPTION, APRIL 27, 2017, at W&M LAW SCHOOL PULLER CLINIC

Please write name and rank/title for each person who will attend:

MEMBER______________________________________________________________________________

NON-MEMBER OFFICER__________________________________________________________________

SPOUSE_______________________________________________________________________________

GUEST________________________________________________________________________________

TOTAL NUMBER ATTENDING __________ @ $ 12.00 PER PERSON $________________

VIPMOAA 2017 Military Community Service/Scholarship Fund Donations $________________

CHECK (payable to VIPMOAA) AMOUNT $________________

Member, if this is your first meeting, please check here______

Celebrating a special occasion? Check here and provide details with this Reservation Coupon_______

Member Address_____________________________________________________________________

Member Phone______________________________

MAIL TO: VIPMOAA HOSPITALITY–APRIL, BOX 4305, FT. EUSTIS, VA 23604-0305 TO ARRIVE BY APRIL 20TH, 2017. NO CONFIRMATION IS SENT.

VIPMOAA MEETING INFORMATION

RESERVATIONS & CANCELLATIONS: Mail your “Reservation Coupon” and check to arrive by the indicated date on the

coupon. Contact the POC for additions or cancellations after that date. Late cancellations or changes are not guaranteed!

Yes I/we plan to attend the May Picnic! ( See Page 7 )

March 2017 VIPMOAA Newsletter

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VIPMOAA NEWSLETTER BOX 4305 FORT EUSTIS, VA 23604-0305 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

The VIPMOAA NEWSLETTER is

published by the VIPMOAA

Chapter, which is an Affiliate of the

Military Officers Association of

America (MOAA). MOAA and its

Affiliated Chapters and councils are

non-partisan. The advertisements

that appear in this publication also

do not reflect an endorsement by

MOAA or this Affiliate.

On left, 2017 W&M Alumni Medallion Award Recipients and former Secretary of Defense and current

W&M Chancellor Robert Gates ’65. Photo on right is Fred Malvin with W&M President Taylor Reveley.

See article on Page 9.