THE Military Order of Foreign Wars Hawaii Commandery
Vol. III, Issue 3, October, 2014
Commander’s Comments. Aloha Companions and Commandery Supporters! Our Awards season for 2014 is nearly over, with just one more event, the Youth Challenge Academy graduation ceremonies on 19 December. Our Cadet Awards program is one of the best in the nation, and is currently featured on the National MOFW webpage at www.MOFWUS.org Invite your colleagues to visit the website and see what we are doing for the Cadets in the Pacific and talk about the opportunities to provide meaningful service as an Officer Veteran.
Arthur N. Tulak, COL, U.S. Army, Retired.
Locally, the Hawaii Commandery is teamed up with the Dr. John A. Sheedy Chapter (Hawaii Chapter #1). The HI NAUS Chapter is a co-member of the Oahu Veterans Council and is the OVC’s best and most active organization when it comes to monitoring state legislation impacting these three areas. The HI NAUS Chapter was just recognized by Lt. Gen. USMC (Ret) Jack Klimp, on 26 September 2014 as one of the top three Chapters in NAUS across the nation, winning 2nd Runner Up in the best chapter competition. The NAUS Chapter and HI MOFW Commandery cooperated at the 24 September Retiree Appreciation Day at Schofield Barracks in their recruiting efforts, highlighting that joining one resulted in a substantial discount for the first year’s dues in the other organization.
MOFW-NAUS Alliance As reported in the last Commandery Newsletter, the MOFW is now affiliated with the National Association of the Uniformed Services. This affiliation will create new opportunities at the local level for both of these important organizations. See the personal letter from LtGen (Ret) Jack Klimp on p. 7. As the Commandery is non-political by design and purpose, our affiliation gives us a voice on legislation affecting: 1) national security policy; 2) benefits for active military and their families, and; 3) veterans’ affairs. At the same time, NAUS members eligible for Companionship in the MOFW can join to preserve our military heritage (starting with their own records of service during America’s Foreign Wars) and engage in service to the Community. See the personal letter from NAUS President, Lt. Gen. Jack Klimp, to the Commandery on the mutual benefits of this relationship here in Hawaii.
Photo 1: NAUS Hawaii Chapter President Dennis Egge and Hawaii MOFW Commander COL (Ret) Tulak at the Retiree Appreciation Day 24 September.
PRRP Luncheon On 11 October, Commander Tulak supported the NAUS Chapter as it sponsored the October Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Recovery Rehabilitation Program (PRRP) luncheon at the Oahu Veterans Center. This monthly event run by the Oahu Veterans Council provides a BBQ luncheon for each
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graduating class of the PRRP only six times per year with one of the OVC veteran member organizations serving as the BBQ sponsor. The PRRP is a program which provides intensive residential rehabilitation to veterans suffering from war related stress. The program is intended as a complement to the acute care currently provided to Veterans at Tripler Army Medical Center and long term Outpatient care provided by VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics, Vet Centers, clergy, and private providers. The PRRP is an 8-9 week structured program for veterans, active duty, reserve, and OIF/OEF Soldiers suffering from PTSD. Treatment includes comprehensive evaluation, development and practice of new coping skills, integration of traumatic war-related memories, and a variety of educational experiences and group activities. At the October luncheon the class included Servicemen from all branches of service, including one Vietnam Veteran still recovering from PTSD. Our partnering with the NAUS HI Chapter expands the opportunities for service for our Companions, without the Commandery having to take on new commitments in service.
Chaplains Corner Chaplain’s Corner The well-known Swiss Psychologist and Psychotherapist, Carl Jung once said that “the greatest and most important problems of life are fundamentally unsolvable; they can never be solved but only outgrown”. I have come to agree with Jung, that trying to solve, bring closure, fully comprehend, fix someone or something, does not seem to work out too well. It appears that life has less to do with getting it right and more with outgrowing certain attitudes, tendencies, habits and belief systems! My observations over the years about my own propensities is that I see myself as having great possibilities for making a positive difference in my own life and in the life of others, and though it appears that by human nature we all start out by
having heroic hearts, reality is that more often than not, our hearts are buried by the complacency of daily distraction, and just when we finally take three steps forward we see ourselves moving two steps back as if being pulled by an invisible magnetic field. So, how do we break free from the deadly pull? The Quiet One is a book (a biography) about one whom we consider a great man. He is a warrior, a pioneer, a man of incredible focus and one who would not be persuaded to cheapen his soul. He is indeed one who models for all of us how it is that one can outgrow some of the unsolvable problems in life. His story is that of an African American youth growing up in the poor part of town, in the bustling city of Saint Louis during the 1930s. Roscoe Robinson Jr. one time decided to stand up to the local and annoying bully. He succeeded in this encounter and went home full of pride and eager to share with his Dad how it was that he had won the day! Expecting affirmation and approval, for so it seemed to Roscoe, that if one were to make it in this world (especially the world he knew), one needed not to be bullied by anyone, but be strong and courageous in order to survive. Instead, his father gave him a lesson he never forgot. Son (my paraphrase), if you go through this world and allow every bully standing on every street corner to become a distraction which brings you down to his level, and if you end up engaging this person, you will regret the course your life will take and miss the greater opportunities which life affords you. The rest of the story: Roscoe graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1951 with a degree in engineering and went on to become the first fourstar African-American general in the United States Army! His accomplishments during a difficult time in our Nation (prior to the successes of the Civil Rights Movement) are of magnanimous proportions. Read the book! But more important, learn to outgrow your unsolvable problems! “Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, and persevere in prayer.” Romans 12:12
John C. Molina, Chaplain (LTC), U.S. Army, Retired 2
Veterans Day Support The Commandery is once again invited to post our flag at the Veterans’ Day observance at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, and to participate in the Parade of Flags and Lei presentations at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery on 11 November. See the letter on page 5 from the Hawaii State DoD. This is a historically significant event of great importance to both national and local military tradition. Volunteers are needed once again to represent our Order in honoring our Veterans. Please contact the Commander at Hawaii@MOFWUS.org if you are able to support the morning ceremonies at the Punchbowl, and/or the afternoon ceremonies at the State Veterans Cemetery. Our deadline for volunteers and RSVP is 31 October.
POW MIA Day Operations The Commandery once again was out on POW/MIA day informing our military community of the meaning of the holiday and informing them about our Commandery and its deeds in the community. This has been an operation unique to the Hawaii Commandery, as other Veterans Organizations have limited their efforts to Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Many folks can readily recognize the POW/MIA flag, but were unaware of its history, or that a day had been set aside to honor POWs as well as the MIAs and the families who are still waiting for an accounting of their loved ones lost in action.
Recent Meetings The Commandery convened at Monterey Bay Cannery Restaurant on September 4th. This was the first event held at the restaurant, which provided a great atmosphere for camaraderie mixed with some Commandery business. Photo 3: Chaplain Molina manned the table on POW/MIA Day talking with Veterans and telling people the meaning and history of the holiday.
50th Vietnam Commemoration
Photo 2: Companions gathered at the Monterey Bay Cannery Restaurant for camaraderie mixed with a little business.
Poppy Appeal The 2014 Poppy Appeal will resume at the Schofield Barracks AAFES on Monday 10 November 2014. Volunteers are needed once again to continue this great tradition.
The 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Executive Steering Group and State Commemoration Committee will hold its next meeting at the State Capitol, Rm. 309, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. Presently, we do not have a Companion able to represent the Commandery – so if you are able to attend, please contact the Commander. The agenda will cover the structure and goals of the State Committee, a timeline for events and actions, comments and inputs from the DoD Commemorative Partner Organizations (of which we are one), and plans to involve the other islands.
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Civil Air Patrol Awards Banquet The annual Civil Air Patrol Awards Banquet was held on 4 OCT at the Mary Knoll Campus. The Hawaii Commandery of the MOFW and the Fort Shafter Post of the VFW are the only veteran’s organizations recognizing these outstanding young cadets. The HI MOFW Commandery recognizes the top Cadet from each of the 8 Cadet Squadrons across the Hawaiian Islands with a MOFW Bronze Leadership Medal, while the VFW recognizes the top officer and top cadet from the Wing. This year, six of the Squadrons were able to get their Cadets to the dinner to receive their medals. The Cadre of the Wing accepted the medals for those cadets not able to travel. As many of you will remember, the CAP Cadets were th enthusiastic competitors in our Vietnam 50 Commemoration Essay Contest earlier this year with Cadet Janine Hilario and Cadet Toren Suemoto both winning certificates for their thoughtful essay submissions.
Hawaii Legislature Military Appreciation Package. See the letter accompanying this Newsletter from Companion LTC Mark Takai on a new program for Hawaii Driver’s licenses to now verify Veterans Status. This is an important step for determining who is really a veteran and providing certified authentication of Veteran service and status for Federal, State, and non-governmental benefits.
Oahu Veterans Council News While the MOFW is apolitical, we should all do our patriotic duty and vote. The OVC will host a candidate forum on 17 OCT from 1700-1900 hrs, to permit candidates running for office in Hawaii 1st Congressional District in the upcoming November elections to address Veterans issues. This forum is sponsored by the Hawaii and Aloha Chapters of the Military Officers Association of America. See page 6 for the flyer for this event. The next meeting of the OVC will be on the Saturday 25th of October. If you would like to represent the Commandery at this meeting, please contact the Commander at Hawaii@MOFWUS.org
Days of Patriotic Observance: th
Photo 4: Commander COL (Ret) Arthur Tulak with 5 of the 8 Cadets awarded the MOFW Bronze Medal.
OCT 27 Navy Day th NOV 10 USMC Birthday th NOV 11 Veterans’ Day th NOV 27 Thanksgiving Day th DEC 7 Pearl Harbor Day
Commandery Future Operations The next Commandery meeting will take place on Thursday 30 October at the Monterey Bay Canners restaurant (Pearlridge Mall), 98-1005 Moanalua Rd, Aiea, HI 96701, at 1700 hrs.
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