| Virginia MOAA Congressional Luncheon - 21 March 2007 |
The 22nd annual Virginia Congressional Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) was held March 21, 2007 in the Cannon Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Building in Washington DC.
This annual event permits VCOC MOAA to thank the members of our Virginia Congressional Delegation for their leadership and support on veteran, military retiree and actively serving military force issues. Over 165 Virginia MOAA leaders attended this year. We invited each of our Senators and Congressional Representatives from Virginia to lunch with us and present remarks as their busy schedules allowed.
President of the Virginia Council of Chapters, Colonel Bill Flanagan, USA, Retired, on behalf of the leadership of our fifteen state-wide chapters and our some 44,000 Virginia MOAA members, thanked Virginia national legislators for continued service and support to our nation’s military service members and their families, active, retired and veterans.
Scroll down for press release and photos.
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| Senator John Warner speaks with Virginia Leaders and VCOC & MOAA Presidents |
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| Senator Warner with Award (center). Col Flanagan on left. LTC Green on right |
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| PRESS RELEASE
The template (Word Document) is provided for use by Virginia chapter presidents. The blue paragraph may be tailored by the local chapter. COL Flanagan suggests chapters include local, neighborhood papers in the distribution of their local press release. The VCOC PAO is willing to send the generic press release to Virginia military and civilian papers with the go-ahead from the corresponding Virginia MOAA chapter president of the area concerned. She requests additional photos and local quote for this webpage..
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| PRESS RELEASE 21 MARCH 2007 - Click here for Word Document |
PHOTO WITH PRESS RELEASE:
The photo at left is full size (not a thumbnail) and was provided by MOAA..
Pictured are Col Bill Flanagan, USA, Ret (President of VCOC),
Senator John Warner,
LTC Pat Green, USA, Ret,VCOC Vice President and Chair of Awards Committee.
PLEASE SUBMIT A CHAPTER PHOTO AS WELL.
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EXAMPLE OF PRESS RELEASE BLUE PARAGRAPH - CUSTOMIZED FOR FORT MONROE:
Members of MOAA’s local Virginia Peninsula chapter (VIPMOAA), including VIPMOAA President Col Ernie Hinojosa of Williamsburg, had an opportunity to sit with Congressional staffers for Congresspersons JoAnn Davis, Thelma Drake, Bobby Scott, and Senator Webb, and with National MOAA staff. VIPMOAA members encouraged support of the Virginia Council’s 2007 national legislative priority – to strengthen the all volunteer force. Jackie Peters, an auxiliary member, was attending for the first time. Blair Smith, VIPMOAA’s Legislative Chair, has attended most of the 22 annual events. Other nearby MOAA chapters participating included Hampton Roads, Portsmouth, and two chapters in the Richmond area.
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PHOTOS OF CONGRESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Photos were posted on this website beginning the night of 21 March, starting with photos taken by VCOC PAO and adding others as they were/are provided. You are welcome to use the photos. The pictures below are posted as "thumbnails". If you click on the picture, you will get a larger view and additional caption info. To save the photo, right click and use "save as" commands on your computer. If you want to use the photo and it does not download in sufficiently high resolution, you may request individual photo(s) be sent as email attachment (JPEG format) one-at-a-time. Please send photos you took at the event, with captions (identifying the people pictured and photographer) to be included on this web page. Also please advise of additional captions or corrections to captions for the photos posted below.
/ Melva Mallison, Major, USAF, Ret, VCOC PAO / Web Coordinator Email melvamaj@cox.net
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LEGISLATIVE AWARD
TO
SENATOR
JOHN
WARNER
At the 2007 Virginia MOAA Congressional Luncheon, the VCOC, for the first time, recognized a congressional member for outstanding service to the nation. The VCOC Legislative Award was presented to Senator John Warner, R-Virginia. Announcement was made by LTC James (Patrick) Green, USA, Ret, of Roanoke Virginia. Pat is the VCOC 1st Vice President and Chair of the VCOC Awards Committee. Award was presented by VCOC President, Col William (Bill) Flanagan, USA, Ret of Roanoke Virginia. Award was a plaque of stamps especially chosen to reflect the Senator's service and support of the armed forces.
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| Senator Warner at Podium |
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| Award Pose Senator Warner with VCOC President and Vice |
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| Senator Warner speaks seriously with Admiral Ryan as Col Flanagan and others look on |
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| Senator Warner, Col Flanagan, Vince Burgess |
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| Posing with Award |
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| Audience while Senator Warner Speaks |
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| Chair of Awards Committee |
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| Stamp Plaque Award in Hand Col Flanagan In Background |
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| Award Stamp Plaque at Table Beside Program |
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| Stamp Plaque on Warner Wall |
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| WARNER THANKS VCOC |
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CONGRESSMAN
RANDY FORBES
HOSTEDPICTURED IN GROUP PHOTOS:
Buck Jamison, Major,Ret (Partially visible on left in one of the photos)
Allan Rickard, CW4, USA, Ret, of Petersburg.
Congressman Forbes, 4th District.
Gary Metzinger, COL, USAF, Ret, Legislative Rep Southside Chapter, of Chester. (In one of the 2 photos not visible, behind)
Chet Kowalczyk, COL, USA, Ret,of Chester.
Bob Barrett, COL, USA, Ret, Colonial Heights. (Introduced Congressman Forbes).
Jim Bradford, LtCol, USA,Ret, of Colonial Heights.
Bill Flanagan, COL, USA, Ret, VCOC President, of Colonial Heights.
Tom Storey, LTC, USA, Ret, of Colonial Heights
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| Congressman Forbes at Podium |
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| Congressman Forbes at Table |
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| Congressman Forbes with 7 constituents. |
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| Congressman Forbes with Constituents |
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More Pictures of
VIRGINIA CONGRESSPERSONS WITH VIRGINIA MOAA CONSTITUENTS
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| Congressman Wolf (center) with constituents |
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| Congressman Virgil Good at constituent table |
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| LTC Tom Storey and Col Bob Barrett, close up. |
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| Virginia Peninsula Chapter - VIPMOAA 11 attended. |
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| Congressman Moran |
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| Congressman Bob Goodlatte |
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| Don Kaiserman Introducing |
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| Congressman T. Davis, 11th District, at podium |
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| 1st District Table |
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| Scott Staffer and Constituents |
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| LTC Jim Bradford laughs with MG Tom Tait |
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| CAPT Bob Parker, USN (Ret.) PACMOAA Chapter |
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| Congressman Cantor shakes hands with officers from Richmond area |
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| Congressman Cantor, 7th District, and Constituents |
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| Major note taking |
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| Food Serving Line |
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| Shaking Hands |
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| Drake Staffer at table |
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| Congresswoman Drake with Hampton Roads Chapter |
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| Congresswoman Thelma Drake and constituents from 3 Virginia MOAA chapters |
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FIVE VCOC PRESIDENTS ATTENDED:
1. LTC Blair Smith,USA, Ret of Newport News (1994-5) - Currently VCOC Chaplain
2. COL Floyd Gilbert, USA, Ret of Virignia Beach (1988-9).
3. COL BILL FLANAGAN, USA, RET, CURRENT PRESIDENT (2006-7).
4. COL Hank Shelton, USA, Ret of Charlottesville (2000-1).
5. BG Wes Edwards, USMC, Ret of Lancaster, (2004-5) Currently Immediate Past President .
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| 5 Virginia Council Presidents attended |
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| Another View of the FIVE VCOC Presidents in attendance |
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| Congressman Goode |
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| Major Melva Mallison, & LTC Pat Green |
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| The cadet is a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC). The plackard belongs to VCOC Secretary, COL Jim Brown, USA, Ret, who purchased it for the purpose of recruiting new cadets for the Virginia Tech program. Said Brown, "My cadet (as I call him) will be at most of my Junior ROTC award presentations and a lot of other places such that the program becomes better known across the Commonwealth."
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Several members of national MOAA staff attended, including MOAA President, Admiral Norb Ryan.
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| Admiral Norb Ryan, MOAA President |
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| Adniral Ryan, at podium, clapping |
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| Admiral Ryan chatting |
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