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Commentary:
This is the ninth Retiree Newsletter, published in Apr, Aug and Dec. Our purpose is to keep you informed and provide you a continuing sense of belonging to the Guard after retirement. We hope the newsletter helps accomplish that purpose. Let us know what you think of the newsletter and how we can improve it. We value your opinion. Please advise the Council of any errors or omissions. Information is furnished through various sources. If you have an item you would like considered for publication, please send it to the MEARNG Retiree Council, Camp Keyes, Augusta, ME 04330 or e-mail it togmusk@mint.net or souleda@me-arng.ngb.army.mil.
We are constantly trying to update our mailing list to include all MEARNG retirees. If you know any retiree(s) who are not receiving the newsletter, please send their name to a member of the Retiree Council or e-mail us. Please advise us of mailing address changes due to 911. If you do not wish to continue receiving the newsletter, contact a council member.
If you'd like to communicate with other retirees by e-mail, please furnish us your address and we'll publish it in the newsletter.
For the latest information, call CW5 Roussel at 626-4338 or SFC Buck at 626-4283, MENG-HRO-AGR.
Nothing to report at this time.
By Frank Soares, Director of Veterans Services
This issue will be the first to dedicate a portion of its content to strictly veterans rights, entitlements and benefits. In hte future, if you have questions or ideas you would like to see inthis column, please send me a note at the below address. I will try to answer all questions in the next issue. If you need immediate personal assistance on a veteran problem, call your local Veterans Counselor listed in your local white pagers under State Government. Two veterans topics will be listed for the month of January. These topics are eligibility requirements for the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery and an explanation on how to obtain a burial flag.
Eligibility Requirements: The veteran must have served during a federally recognized period of conflict (often referred to as a period of war). If the veteran served between 12/22/61to 08/04/64 or holds an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or a Campaign Medal for any other period they also qualify. The veteran must have an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions provided that the dischare was not upgraded through a program of general amnesty. All periods of service must meet the above criteria. The resident must have been a Maine resident at the time of actually entering the service or a resident at the time of their death. These rules hold true when the spouses of veterans die. Documentation should be available to show this qualification.
Burial Flags:All honorably discharged veterans are authorized burial flags. The quickest and most dependable method of obtaining these flags is through your local post office. Bring with you a copy of your discharge or any document that can verify your honorable service and the applicable dates. The post office will process this request and mail the flag to you. If the veteran is already deceased, the family member must bring a copy of the above information plus a copy of the death certificate.
In future issues, I will also provide current information that relates to national and state veterans issues. If you wish to have a specific item addressed contact me at 626-4468.
STATE ASSOCIATION AND NGAUS SUPPORT
In a letter recently received by NGAUS Life Members, Executive Director MG (Ret) Edward J. Philbin asks that all retirees be encouraged to become life members of the National Guard Association of the United States or the National Enlisted Association. In addition, he asks that all retirees support our state associations and work to insure our local and state political leaders are kept fully informed of the missionand readiness challenges of our local guard units. Grass roots support for readiness issues is our shared responsibility. NGAUS retired life membership costs $125 and applications are available through the Council or the National Guard Association of Maine (NGAME).
Retiree Council Meetings. Generally, the Council meets at 0900 in the TAG conference room, Camp Keyes, Augusta. Any retiree is welcome to attend. The last 1998 meeting is 15 Dec. 1999 meeting dates are: 16 Feb, 20 Apr, 15 Jun, 17 Aug, 19 Oct and 21 Dec.
New Members Needed.Our search fo rnew members of all ranks and gender from all parts of Maine continues. We would especially like to see more enlisted folks participate. If you, or another retiree you know are interested, please contact a Council member.
Who Are Our Oldest Retirees?We would like to find out who our oldest retirees are so they may be recognized in the newsletter. If you are in this category please send a note to the Retiree Council at above address. In your note please include your birth date and any other information you would like to share with other retirees, such as, winter and summer locations, years of service, units served in and unit from which you retired.
CW4 Nathan F. Ford, 85 years young,retired from HQS, 133rd Engr Bn on 31 August 1973 and now resides in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
LTC Leonard C. Cabana who will be 88 on 31 December was born in Waterville in 1910. He trained at the Citizens Military Training Camp, Fort McKinley, ME from 1927-1931and was commissioned a 2LT in 1932. Attached to teh 1st Div., 18th Inf. in 1940, 1LT Cabana was called to active duty on 12 May 1941 and ordered to the South Pacific Theater of operations in March 1942. Promoted to CPT that year, he was later attached to the 32nd Inf. Div. and participated in the 1944 invasion of Leyte, Philippines. After WWII, he joined the MEARNG upon reorganization of Hqs Col, 3rd Bn., 103rd Inf., and subsequently retired as LTC with 35 years service. He now resides at 1 Elm Terrace, Waterville.
1999 NGAME Annual Meeting
Please mark 14, 15 and 16 May 99 on your calendar as the dates for the annual meeting of NGAME and the Enlisted Association. A committee has been appointed to find a suitable site. Activities planned include a Friday night social, followed by Saturday's business meeting, golf and tennis torunaments and a banquet with a special guest speaker. All active and retired guardsmen and their spouses areencouraged to attend. More specific information will follow.
1999 Armed Forces of the U.S. Retiree Appreciation Day
Planning is already underway for the Second annual Armed Forces of the U.S. Retiree Appreciation Day on 14 August 1999 at the Augusta Armory. The event will be sponsored by the Maine National Guard in cooperation with the New Hampshire and Vermont National Guard, the Brunswick Naval Air Station and the Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont Retiree Councils. All military retirees of all branches of the Armed Forces and all reserve components including gray area retirees (under age 60) should plan to attend. Over 700 military retirees, including 70 from Maine, attended this year's RAD at the NHARNG Armory in Manchester, NH, on 29 August. Total attendance, including spouses,children and other interested individuals exceeded 1,400.
Romain Savoie
Gautrey Musk
Albert White, Jr.
James Laflin
Donald Laflin
Edward Davis
Nathan Grass
Robert Weymouth
Douglas Welsh, Jr.
Martin Asdourian
Dean Soule