Midway USA, Chapter 16 - Salina, Kansas

    OFFICERS:  President – Fred Fanning 785-201-7824; Vice President – Gary Keil; 785-822-4131; Secretary -

    Bill Vinyard 785-787-0655; Treasurer: - Roger Thull 785-827-7981; Chaplain – Moses Stewart 785-827-5956

    DATE/LOCATION: March 13th, Mattie’s Grill & Chill.    

MARCH MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING:  Our March meeting will be at Mattie’s Grill & Chill, 640 Westport Blvd (across from Russell’s Restaurant). YOU DON’T HAVE TO PURCHASE A MEAL TO ATTEND THE MARCH MEETING.  At our February meeting, we voted to have our March and April meetings at this location. It has an area for our meeting. As most of you know, the Salina Senior Center dining area can’t provide onsite meals due to being under construction. We hope to see you all there. 

GUEST SPEAKER: Michelle Griffin Mobility Manager, OCCK Transportation in Salina.

REST HOME:  William Long and Roger Thull. Please keep W. Long and R. Thull in your thoughts and prayers.

MARCH BIRTHDAYS:  Miles Hiyane

TIDBITS OF FEBRUARY MEETING:  The attendance drawing winner was Wardene Stewart $20 Gift Card. Guest speaker Loni Pruitt, Chief Operations Officer CKF Addiction Treatment in Salina, explained the services provided by the non-profit Agency for adults and youth struggling with substance abuse. President Fred Fanning presented L. Pruitt with a chapter Certificate of Appreciation. And he gave the Treasurer Report with a balance of $602.08. President F. Fanning spoke about NDAA items for 2020 signed into law, The Kiddie Tax fix included in the SECURE Act, The Widow’s Tax per SBP and DIC offset, and TREA 2020 legislative priority items. He thanked Ronald Sondegard for providing the excellent chili meal. Visitor Jack Cole, Army Veteran, attended our meeting. The membership voted to purchase a chapter AD in the NARFE 2020 KS Federation Conference Program Booklet. The Conference is in Salina, April 27-28, 2020.

VETERAN ACCESS TO FORT RILEY:  The Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 went into effect Jan. 1, 2020, and expands commissary, exchange and morale, welfare and recreation retail eligibility to Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, all veterans with service-connected disabilities, and individuals approved and designated as primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. When a Veteran with a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) visits Fort Riley or most other military installations, you are required to go to a visitor control center and undergo a background check. After the background check, you will receive a visitor badge.   The visitor badge, along with valid government-issued picture identification, such as a driver's license, will allow access. The visitor badge verifies that you completed the vetting requirements. At Fort Riley, a Veteran with a VHIC that has on it "SERVICE CONNECTED" can request the issuance of a long-term access badge that is valid for one year.

LOST CARE AND BROKEN PROMISES: The Defense Health Agency last month announced plans to halt care for military retirees, retiree families and active-duty family members at 38 stateside Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs), instead treating active-duty patients only. The changes are expected to roll out over five years, and officials pledged to complete the process only when they've guaranteed each patient has care in the civilian community.  But many military retirees pushed back, saying that their removal from those 38 locations and others, such as Ireland Army Medical Center at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, is already in motion. In many cases, they said, their care has not been handed off at all. (Source Military.com)

SAINT PATRICK’S DAY QUOTE:   May St. Patrick guards you wherever you go and guide you in whatever you do – and may his loving protection be a blessing to you always.

UNITED WE STAND