MEMORiAl DAy 2012 - USAWOA Portal

Volume 41, Number 5 

May 2012 

Serving WArrAnT OFFiCerS & THeir FAMiLieS FOr 40 YeArS 

Memorial Day 2012 

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, 

love leaves a memory no one can steal 

~ From a headstone in Ireland.

Cover Story 

Memorial Day History 

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, 

is a day of remembrance for those who have died in 

our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its 

actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and 

towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial 

Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s 

groups in the South were decorating graves 

before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published 

in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by 

Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies 

of the South who are Decorating the Graves of 

the Confederate Dead” (Source: Duke University’s 

Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While 

Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace 

of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in 

May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the 

origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many 

separate beginnings; each of those towns and every 

planned or spontaneous gathering of people to 

honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the 

general human need to honor our dead, each contributed 

honorably to the growing movement that 

culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation 

in 1868. It is not important who was the 

very first, what is important is that Memorial Day 

was established. Memorial Day is not about division. 

It is about reconciliation; it is about coming 

together to honor those who gave their all. A 

Ode to the M1 Garand 

The M1 Garand 

Do you wonder why that rifle 

Is hanging in my den? 

You know I rarely take it down 

But I touch it now and then. 

It’s rather slow and heavy 

By standards of today 

But not too many years ago 

It swept the rest away. 

It’s held its own in battles 

Through snow, or rain, or sun 

And I had one just like it, 

This treasured old M-1. 

It went ashore at Bougainville 

In Nineteen Forty-Three. 

It stormed the beach at Tarawa 

Through a bullet-riddled sea. 

Saipan knew its strident bark, 

Kwajalein, its sting. 

The rocky caves of Peleliu 

Resounded with its ring. 

It climbed the hill on Iwo 

With men who wouldn’t stop 

And left our nation’s banner 

Flying on the top. 

It poked its nose in Pusan, 

Screamed an angry roar 

And took the First Division 

From Chosin Reservoir. 

Well, time moves on 

And things improve 

With rifles and with men, 

And that is why the two of us 

Are sitting in my den. 

But sometimes on a winter night, 

While thinking of my Corps, 

I know that if the bugle blew 

We’d be a team once more. 

~ Author Unknown A

Association History - Part 2 

USAWOA and its Accomplishments - 1970’s 

Editor’s note: This is Part two of a four part series describing 

the 40 years of the United States Army Warrant 

Officers Association (USAWOA). This second article focuses 

on the accomplishments during the 1970s era. 

Last month I described why the Association was 

formed and how it initially operated. This article will address 

the USAWOA involvement in the formation of the 

Warrant Officer Division (WOD) and other early 1970s 

issues. 

An initial hurdle to an improved Warrant Officer 

Corps was the fragmented warrant officer management 

at Department of the Army (DA) level. A Warrant Officer 

Aviation Branch was formed in 1965 to manage all aviation 

warrant officers because of the increased aviation requirements 

during the Vietnam conflict. All other Warrant Officers 

continued to be managed by their respective career 

branches. 

The USAWOA learned of an ongoing 1972 study pertaining 

to the reorganization of the Officer Personnel Office 

(OPO), the forerunner of The Military Personnel Center 

(MILPERCEN). This study focused on reorganizing the 

management of commissioned officer personnel management 

by Branch, e.g. Infantry, Engineer, Ordnance, etc., to 

that of management by grade, e.g. colonel, field grade and 

company grade officers. 

Recognizing that a window of opportunity was open 

for a consolidation of Warrant Officers under one umbrella 

rather than consolidating with company grade officers, the 

early Association national officers geared their efforts to 

identifying and meeting with Army leaders who could influence 

the decision to establish a separate Warrant Officer 

Division. Our guest speaker at the first Annual Meeting 

of the Members (AMM) in 1973 was MG Sidney Berry, 

Commander, Military Personnel Center (MILPERCEN). MG 

Berry spent three hours at the USAWOA business meeting 

prior to being our guest speaker. He stated that he learned 

more about Warrant Officers in his three hour visit at the 

AMM than at his time as Commander, MILPERCEN. 

Other key members contacted in support of the WOD 

were the ODCSPER commissioned officers responsible for 

the Warrant Officer program at the Army level. No Warrant 

Officers were assigned to the Army staff at the Deputy 

Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCSPER) level. COL Ted Crozier, 

Chief, Aviation Warrant Officer Branch was also our guest 

speaker in 1973. Our guest speaker for the 1974 Annual 

Meeting was Secretary of the Army (SA) Howard “Bo” 

Galloway, who became a strong warrant officer advocate 

because of his first time exposure at our AMM. 

We were also fortunate in that the Chief of the AG 

Branch, COL Robert Joyce, was a strong supporter of 

consolidated warrant officer management. He provided 

valuable support and guidance to the USAWOA in identifying 

professional benefits to the Army and the Corps in a 

centralized warrant officer management. One of the major 

benefits of a consolidated warrant officer management 

was the opportunity to establish a Professional Development 

program for all Warrant Officers which would be 

consistent among the various specialties. Because of the 

efforts of USAWOA and many other supporters of consolidated 

Warrant Officer management, the WOD was approved 

and organized in May 1975 as part of the overall 

Office of Personnel Operations (OPO) reorganization of 

management philosophy as mentioned above. 

The USAWOA’s role in the establishment of the WOD 

was recognized by the Army leadership. COL Robert Joyce, 

the first WOD Chief, immediately began a series of monthly 

articles in the NEWSLINER and succeeding Division Chiefs 

continued that practice. OPO and MILPERCEN commanders 

also provided articles for the NEWSLINER. LTG Harold 

Moore was the DCSPER during our inception. He was the 

USAWOA AMM speaker twice and a strong Warrant Officer 

Continued on page 14. 

By CW4 (Ret) Don Hess 

President Emeritus 

May 2012 3

USAWOA 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

President 

CW4 (Ret) Kenneth “Pete” Hill 

(O) (410) 278-9309 

Kenneth.b.hill10.civ@mail.mil 

vice President 

CW5 (Ret) Jim White 

(C) (585) 216-7237 

jwhite2239@gmail.com. 

Treasurer 

CW3 Vickie Elias 

(O) (703) 607-7509 

vickieelias@yahoo.com 

Secretary 

CW2 (Ret) Gerry Wentworth 

(H) (703) 327-3438 

dachief@verizon.net 

european region Director 

CW5 James Rathburn 

(DSN) (314) 370-8598 

james.rathburn@us.army.mil 

Southeastern region Director 

CW5 Ida Tyree Hyche 

(C) 205-601-8645 

ida.tyreehyche@us.army.mil 

Mid-Southern region Director 

CW4 James E. Davis 

(O) (254) 553-2774 

jedavis42@gmail.com 

northeastern region Director 

CW4 (Ret) Greg Gouty 

(O) (410) 278-0391 

gregory.gouty@us.army.mil 

Mid-northern region Director 

CW5 Robert Lamphear 

(O) (573) 563-4088 

robert.lamphear@us.army.mil 

Western region Director 

CW5 (Ret) Russell G. Brewer 

(O) (916) 854-3607 

russ20805@comcast.net 

4 May 2012 

Contents 

FeAtured: 

3 USAWOA and its Accomplishments - 1970’s 

6 President’s Report 

7 Veteran Affairs 

8 Executive Director’s Report 

9-11 Chapter News 

12 National Guard Report 

13 Letter To The Editor 

17 Continuous Service 

19 WOCC Honor & Distinguished Grads 

The NEWSLINER is published by the U.S. Army Warrant 

Officers Association, a not-for-profit service related association 

incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The NEWSLINER is 

devoted to the professional interests of Warrant Officers of the U.S. 

Army. Articles appearing in the NEWSLINER do not necessarily 

represent the opinions of the USAWOA Board of Directors or the 

editor, nor are they to be interpreted as official policy of the U.S. 

Army or the Department of Defense. Paid advertising appears in 

the NEWSLINER. With the exception of the membership benefits 

specified, USAWOA does not endorse any specific product or 

supplier of services. The editor reserves the right to decline or 

discontinue any advertisement without prior notice. 

The USAWOA NEWSLINER subscription is a membership benefit 

and is not separately available. Association membership is open 

to individuals who now hold or have ever held a Warrant issued 

by the Secretary of the Army. Annual membership fee is $45.00 

($30.00 for eligible retirees). Major NEWSLINER distribution is 

electronic and printed copies may be subject to additional mailing 

costs. 

Multiple-Year and Life memberships are available. For 

international mailing of the NEWSLINER (other than APO/FPO) add 

$24.00 to the membership fee. Credit will be given (when known) 

for all articles and photos used. Original NEWSLINER articles may 

be reproduced providing credit is given to USAWOA. The single 

copy price of the NEWSLINER is $3.50.

From the editor’s desk 

On the Cover 

Memorial Day, 28 May 2012. Our May cover is in remembrance of those 

who gave their lives so that we may continue to live in freedom. 

Annual Meeting of the Members 

In the last issue we covered many details on the upcoming AMM. If you 

haven’t made a decision to attend this special 40th Anniversary meeting 

please consider joining with many of our fellow Warrant Officers. Information 

has been provided early this year because it will be an election year where we 

turn over the reins to new leadership. Information has been published with 

the agenda, and other information to assist you in your decision to apply for 

national office, attend our AMM or to rededicate yourself to staying current in 

the changing environment in today’s Warrant Officer Corps. 

Professionalism 

In this issue we are stressing professionalism of the Warrant Officer Corps 

beginning with Part two of a four part historical article on the issues affecting 

the USAWOA in the 1970s and how this history can help you in your career decisions, 

or inform you of the Association’s efforts to move the Warrant Officer 

Corps forward. 

President CW4 (Ret) Pete Hill describes the structure of the Executive 

Committee and Board of Directors, and how we do business today adjusting to 

the changing role of the Warrant Officer while still maintaining a professional 

approach to keep up with the increased demands on the Association as the 

Corps undergoes a cultural transition. 

CW4 (Ret) Jack DuTeil, Executive Director, describes his participation in a 

Warrant Officer Professional Development (WOPD) seminar and the necessity 

of maintaining and sharing our technical expertise. 

CW5 Gene Touchstone, Assistant VP for ARNG Affairs urges Warrant Officers 

to change our Legacy Mindset from just technical experts to much more; 

including looking at the bigger picture beyond our specialties and setting the 

example as mentors and models for today’s technical and tactical Warrant Officers. 

CW4 (Ret) Percy Butler reports on the Army’s interim employment efforts 

to help Soldiers connect with private industry employment opportunities. 

This valuable information should be shared with Soldiers of all components, 

veterans and family members who are facing most-military service. 

CW4 (Ret) Dale Bienusa, Show Me Chapter, Ft. Leonard Wood MO shares 

his personal approach in a sample retention letter to members reminding 

them of their expiration date. Other chapters continue to report awards, professional 

development and community activities bringing credit to individuals 

and chapters within their local communities. 

Until next month… A 

By CW4 (Ret) Don Hess 

USAWOA 

462 Herndon Parkway #207 

Herndon, vA 20107 

1-800-5-USAWOA (587-2962) 

Website: www.usawoa.org 

executive Director 

CW4 Jack DuTeil 

(O) 800-5-USAWOA 

usawoaed@verizon.net 

Office Manager 

Herb Rundgren CPO- USN (Ret) 

(O) 1-800-587-2962 

usawoamdb@verizon.net 

Bookkeeper 

Theresa Casteel 

(O) (703) 742-7727 

usawoafinance@verizon.net 

editor 

CW4 (Ret) Don Hess 

(H) (540) 289-5557 

usawoaeditor@verizon.net 

Asst vP- Army guard Affairs 

CW5 Gene Touchstone 

(DSN) 293-6185 

(O) (601) 313-6185 

gene.touchstone@us.army.mil 

Asst vP - Army reserve Affairs 

CW2 Virginia Oscovitch 

(O) (850) 912-2910 

Virginia.oscovitch@us.army.mil 

Asst vP - veterans Affairs 

CW4 (Ret) Percy D. Butler 

(O) (404) 767-0066 

pdbutler2@msn.com 

Past Presidents Council Chairman 

CW5 (Ret) Frank Meeks 

(H) (252) 946-3142 

franklin.d.meeks@us.army.mil 

Scholarship Foundation President 

CW4 (Ret) Robert D. Scott 

(H) (571) 918-0129 

robertscott10@comcast.net 

WO Heritage Foundation President 

CW5 (Ret) David P. Welsh 

(C) (757) 999-2022 

wo-heritage@verizon.net 


President’s report 

By CW4 (Ret) Pete Hill 

National President 

Have you ever wondered what goes on during the 

monthly Executive Committee (EXCOM) or the Board 

of Directors (BOD) meetings? This month I will address 

these two meetings, plus how a location is selected for 

the Annual Meeting of the Members (AMM). 

Each meeting is governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. 

These Parliamentary procedures must be followed for a 

timely, professional meeting. Any member in good standing 

may attend the meetings and may address the EXCOM 

or the BOD. 

You may or may not notice that at the conclusion of 

every AMM a motion is made to move “All open action 

items to the BOD”. Once this motion is adopted, the BOD 

convenes with the purpose of addressing all open business 

issues that were raised during the meeting. These 

issues include but are not limited to; Focus Group recommendations, 

research into various issues brought to the 

floor by the membership and any correspondence that 

must be addressed to various members of the Army leadership, 

The Military Coalition (TMC) or Legislators. 

For preplanning purposes, approximately 45 days 

prior to the BOD, each board member is provided with an 

agenda covering all topics to be discussed. Each board 

member is allotted time to update the fellow directors 

and members on current issues within their regions, 

such as special events, community activities, fund raising 

activities and any other events they may want to share. 

The purpose of this knowledge sharing is to allow each 

director to discuss what works and what does not work 

when it comes to interacting with the members. 

It is an interesting fact that the BOD meeting never 

adjourns, it is always in session throughout the year by 

means of email or telephonically. 

During the year the Association’s business is administered 

by the EXCOM. This committee consists of the 

National President, National Vice-President, National 

CW3 Vickie Elias is installed as National Treasurer by 

President CW4 (Ret) Pete Hill. 


Administration Internal Affairs 

Secretary, Treasurer and the Executive Director who is 

a nonvoting exofficio member of the EXCOM and the 

BOD. In addition to that, the National President can appoint 

one other member in good standing to be a voting 

member of the EXCOM. For the past four years, the 

Northeastern Regional Director has been a member of 

this committee. Even though the subjects may change on 

a regular basis, the one topic that is always discussed is 

current membership statistics. This topic, which is always 

briefed by the Vice-President includes regular renewals, 

life membership, voting members by region, and 

the status of the free one year program. In addition to 

the standard members, each standing committee (Aviation 

and Marketing), and our independent foundations, 

(Scholarship and Heritage) are allotted time along with 

the Newsliner editor to provide updates in their perspective 

areas. The current foundations, Scholarship and 

Heritage, are both separate from the Association, but 

under the same umbrella. 

Those Chapters wishing to host the annual meeting 

will prepare and provide a presentation to the assembled 

members on why they would want to host an annual 

meeting. The Annual Meeting of the Members shall be 

held at a date and place selected by the members attending 

a duly convened Annual Meeting of the Members, or 

if no offers to host is made at that meeting, at the next 

BOD meeting a location will be selected but hosted by the 

National Office. The purpose of the Annual Meeting of 

the Members is to transact such business as shall come 

before the meeting. 

As a member, I hope this gives you a little insight as 

to what goes on during the course of the year when you 

don’t always hear or read about your leadership’s actions. 

For The Corps! A

Professional Development 

On Saturday, 14 April 2012 I was privileged to address a 

Warrant Officer Professional Development (WOPD) seminar 

at Ft. Belvoir for the Warrant Officers of the District of Columbia 

Army National Guard. The event was hosted by CW5 

Ron Wormsley, Command Chief Warrant Officer (CCWO) of 

the District of Columbia. Other guest speakers included: MG 

General Errol R. Schwartz, Commanding General, Joint Force 

Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG); BG 

Arthur W. Hinaman, the DCNG Land Component Commander; 

and CW5 Gary Nisker, CCWO, Army National Guard (ARNG). 

Detailed Briefings were presented on a wide variety of important 

topics, including: recruiting and retention, Officer Records 

Briefs, Warrant Officer education requirements and opportunities, 

and a host of other important WOPD topics. 

During his remarks, BG Hinaman – formerly a Warrant Officer 

himself – spoke of his admiration for the steady growth in 

professionalism he has witnessed in the Warrant Officer Corps 

over a period of thirty or more years. He praised the body for 

their evolution into a professional cadre of commissioned officers, 

without losing focus on the technical career-field expertise 

– the traditional hallmark of our corps. I had just read an 

advance copy of this month’s article by CW5 Gene Touchstone, 

USAWOA Vice President for Army National Guard Affairs, and 

immediately thought of this as BG Hinaman lauded his Warrant 

Officers for their execution of their dual responsibilities as 

technical experts and commissioned leaders of Soldiers. 

I hope all members will read CW5 Touchstone’s article 

(all you need to do is turn the pages after you finish reading 

mine…). In it he comments on another fine article by CW5 

James Rathburn, in our February NEWSLINER, which stressed 

the importance of Warrant Officers focusing on core competencies 

and correctly tying this directly to our relevance in 

what promises to be a shrinking total force, moving forward. 

CW5 Touchstone agreed with CW5 Rathburn, but passionately 

opined that we must also break from our “legacy mind set” 

that we are “just technical experts.” 

So, as I listened to BG Hinaman speak, I reflected on two 

facts that are crystal clear to me: first, how difficult it is for 

today’s Warrant Officer to truly fulfill this dual role; but secondly, 

just how potentially indispensible that Warrant Officer 

becomes, when successful. Simply stated, being a successful 

Warrant Officer is perhaps (and necessarily) much harder work 

than being either a successful NCO or Officer – and this is a 

good thing. As Warrant Officers continue to grow into progressively 

more influential roles at the highest levels of command, 

they have the unique opportunity to further bridge the 

gap between professionals at the technical levels; and those 

who they count on to provide them with the tools they require 

at the policy-shaping and procurement level. The degree to 

which we are successful in polishing our collective skills as 

both technical experts and professional staff officers is directly 

proportionate to the successes we will achieve, not only as 

relevant members of future force structure, but also as crucial 

executive director’s report 

By CW4 Jack DuTeil 

elements of its success. 

After BG Hinaman concluded his remarks, CW5 Wormsley 

addressed the assembly and perhaps unwittingly shaped in 

my mind the real challenge for today’s Warrant Officers. He 

thanked everyone for attending, and pointed out how difficult 

it was for Warrant Officers to tear themselves away from their 

unit responsibilities to make time for professional development. 

Indeed, for National Guardsmen and Reservists, doing 

so during business hours generally means expending one 

of the only two days they have in a given month devoted to 

their primary missions at the unit level. But having personally 

served more than 20 of my 27 years on active duty, I know 

it is often just as hard for active duty folks to devote time to 

professional development. And this is where our Association 

can help (and really always has)….. 

Our Association provides a perfect vehicle for dissemination 

of professional development at our chapter meetings. I 

have been a member of the Arlington Hall Minuteman Chapter 

ever since I pinned as a WO1 in 1997. In our Chapter, we have 

a long tradition of devoting the last 15 to 30 minutes of each 

monthly meeting to this. Over the years we have invited folks 

to come in to brief us on topics ranging from Warrant Officer 

Promotions to Effective Military Writing and Staffing. Rather 

than trying to cram as much as possible into a single day, we 

always did this a little at a time on an ongoing basis. We do 

so much of it that we often need to get creative in coming up 

with new topics (when I was a Chapter President I even invited 

a financial advisor in, to brief us on retirement investment 

strategies). 

When it was my turn to speak to the assembly, I started 

off my briefing by thanking them for inviting me and congratulating 

them on conducting a successful WOPD. Before launching 

into a description of our history, legislative achievements 

and current issues, I told them they were doing exactly what 

USAWOA Chapters across the country have done for years. I 

explained to them that “professionalism” was one of the three 

words in our seal that define our mission. 

So this month, I challenge all Chapter Presidents to ensure 

they incorporate informative, innovative professional development 

into each and every Chapter Meeting. I also challenge 

our leaders in organizations such as the SWOAC, WOSAC and 

the Warrant Officer Career College to provide our National HQ 

with the latest briefings and information that we can get out 

to our Chapters, to make this professional development as current 

and informative as possible. 

As an organization representing experts in so many 

areas of expertise, it would be impossible for us to fine tune 

the technical expertise of our members. But if we all work 

together as an Association, we can most assuredly help each 

other share valuable information designed to improve us all in 

our equally important role as commissioned officers and leaders 

in an evolving force. A 


Vet Affairs report 

By CW4 (Ret) Percy Butler 

What is it? 

The Army will utilize the Hero 2 Hired (H2H) as its interim 

employment application/tool to provide one primary location 

where Soldiers of all components, veterans, and family members 

can connect with private industry employment opportunities. 

This application is web-based and able to translate military 

occupational skills (MOS), provide career path exploration, upload 

resumes, allow customized job searches, enable employers 

to also search for veterans, and provide performance metrics. 

H2H will eventually be included on eBenefits, the single portal 

for transition benefits. 

What is the Army doing? 

The Army has conducted multiple transition studies and determined 

there was a need to better prepare our Soldiers for 

post-military service, as well as to enhance opportunities to connect 

Soldiers with private industry. The H2H employment application 

tool is just one product of this ongoing effort. In addition, 

the Army continues to support the White House Employment 

Initiative and the Department of Defense- Department of Veterans 

Affairs (DOD-VA) Veterans Employment Initiative Task Force 

(TF) in the development of a new transition training and services 

delivery model to maximize the career readiness of all Service 

members. The TF Implementation Plan will follow in the next 

couple of months with detailed recommendations. 

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the 

future? 

The Army will also continue to engage community, non- 

Ft. Belvoir, VA 


Army Transition - Hero 2 Hired 

Ft. Belvoir, VA 

Speakers at the WOPD seminar for the Warrant Officers of the DC Army 

National Guard. (L to R) MG Errol R. Schwartz Commanding General 

DCNG, Jack DuTeil, USAWOA, CW5 Gary Nisker National Guard Bureau 

CCWO, BG Arthur Hinaman Land Component Commander, and CW5 

Ronald E. Wormsley Sr. DCARNG CCWO. (See article on page 7). 

profit and private industry partners as part of a comprehensive 

communications campaign to ensure employers recognize the 

value in hiring Veterans. First and foremost, Soldiers bring the 

Army ethos to the civilian sector unparalleled commitment to 

their mission, determination for success, and loyalty to their organization. 

In addition, the diverse skill sets of the thousands of 

Soldiers scheduled to transition over the next few years are a 

uniquely rich resource for U.S. employers to tap into. 

Why is it important to the Army? 

Our Soldiers, veterans, and families face a number of challenges 

transitioning from military to civilian life. Among these 

is finding a productive post-military career more than 130,000 

Soldiers separated from the Army last year, and many are still 

unemployed. The Army has a responsibility to ensure transitioning 

personnel have the support they need and deserve prior to 

separating, and are career ready to enter the civilian workforce. 

The H2H Employment Application Tool is just one component 

of the Armys enduring commitment and efforts to ensure our 

transitioning members receive that support. 

Resources: 

Hero 2 Hired (H2H) 

STAND-TO! Army Transition Policy Initiative 

eBenefits 

My Army Benefits 

Army Career & Alumni Program 

Related article: Hero 2 Hired website aims to transform heroes 

to hired civilians. A 

CW4 (Ret) Jack DuTeil, USAWOA Executive Director, addresses the WO 

Professional Development Seminar for the Warrant Officers of the District 

of Columbia Army National Guard. (See article on page 7.)

NORCAL CHAPTER 

CW4R MANUEL V SIAMS JR NEW PRESIDENT 

CW5 ARTAVIA M EDWARDS PAST PRESIDENT 

LORD FAIRFAX SILVER CHAPTER 

CW5 PHYLLIS J WILSON NEW PRESIDENT 

CW2 MEISHA ATKINSON PAST PRESIDENT 

SOONER PLAINS CHAPTER 

CW3 RICHARD E NAJERA NEW PRESIDENT 

CW3 WILLIAM R WILDER, JR PAST PRESIDENT 

Whtefish, MT 

New Chapter Presidents 

Fort Rucker, AL 

Chapter News 

MID AMERICA CHAPTER 

CW2 DAVID J HEMINGWAY II NEW PRESIDENT 

CW4 LEE R MORRIS PAST PRESIDENT 

FORT BRAGG SILVER CHAPTER 

CW5 DANIEL J WILKE NEW PRESIDENT 

CW5R ROSCOE D LEGGS JR PAST PRESIDENT 

ARLINGTON HALL MINUTE MAN CHAPTER 

CW5 JOY Y TEAGLE NEW PRESIDENT 

CW2 GEORGE D BLALACK PAST PRESIDENT 

Administrative Woman of the Year AWARD 

Eighteen Warrant Officers of the USAWOA Big Sky 

Chapter attended the Montana National Guard 

Association’s 55th Annual Conference at Grouse 

Mountain Lodge. The fifteen pictured are: [back row] 

CW4 (Ret) John Nugent, CW2 Jim Dauenhauer, CW2 

(Ret) Liz Cook, CW3 Pam Frost, WO1 Anita Verbanac, 

WO1 Mike Brown, CW3 Teresa Purpuro, CW3 Nick 

Conway, CW4 Craig Stewart, CW3 Rich Heitstuman; 

[front row] CW3 John Joyce, CW4 Steve Snyder, CW5 

John Purpuro, WO1 Terry Odegard. Not pictured: 

CW4 Mike Hossfeld, CW4 Randy Ross, CW3 Scott 

Stewart. 

CW3 (Ret) Vanessa Mahone, Treasurer for the Above the Best (ATB) 

Chapter of the US Army Warrant Officers Association, was selected 

as the Administrative Woman of the Year from among several, highly 

qualified competitors. Vanessa works as the curriculum manager for 

the Warrant Officer Candidate School at the Warrant Officer Career 

College. She also manages the memorabilia, funds, and accounts of 

the Chapter while supporting its community service projects. Vanessa 

often serves in several pivotal roles simultaneously. The Fort Rucker 

Equal Employment Opportunity Office solicits nominations from all the 

organizations on post and uses military and civilian judges to determine 

the awardees. Mrs. Mahone’s award was presented by the Deputy 

Commander, Colonel Jessie Farrington, and Aviation Branch Command 

Sergeant Major James H. Thomson at a post-wide ceremony for the 

winners in all categories. (L to R) CW3 (Ret) Mahone and Colonel Jessie 

Farrington. 


Chapter News 

Arlington, VA 

Newly elected leadership team for the Arlington Hall 

Minuteman Chapter are sworn in by ARNG CCWO 

CW5 Gary Nisker. (L to R) CW3 Judy Wolf, Secretary; 

CW4 Jill Graham, Treasurer; CW4 Debbie Sharpe, Vice 

President; CW5 Joy Teagle, President and CW5 Nisker. 

Photo credit: CW4 Tony Middleton 

Fort Rucker, AL 


Fairfax, VA 

Newly elected officers for the Lord Fairfax Silver 

Chapter were installed at the monthly chapter 

meeting. (L to R) CW5 Phyllis Wilson, Vice President 

CW5 (Ret) Eddie Mallard, and CW5 (Ret) Richard 

Markle, Treasurer. 

CW4 Deborah Barthell, Secretary, Above the Best (ATB) Chapter, presented $400 worth of Wal-Mart gift cards to the 

House of Ruth, on behalf of Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course class (WOSSC) (12-03), as their community service 

project at the WOCC. Ms. Melissa Vair , House of Ruth, accepted the cards, stating that the cards would be used 

to provide women in emergency situations with a resource for obtaining basic necessities for themselves and their 

children. The House of Ruth is a community effort that depends on donations to serve the victims of domestic violence 

and sexual assault in eight Alabama counties. (L to R) CW4 Barthell, Ms. Vair and CW4 Tim McCarter, ATB President.

Chapter News 

Tucson, AZ 

CW2 (Ret) Lance Dickinson, President, Ft. Lowell-Apache Chapter, is shown with the Chapter’s Annual Scholarship 

recipients who will be attending college and enrolling in ROTC. This year’s recipients are: Cadet Colonel Houston Clark 

and Cadet Lt/Col Alexandrea Provine who will be attending West Point in the Fall. The scholarships were presented at the 

battalion’s Annual Award’s Ceremony. 

The chapter also recognized a JROTC cadet at each grade level with the presentation of the USAWOA Distinguished 

Service Medal and Ribbon for distinguished service during the academic year. A 

Tucson, AZ 

(L to R) CW2 Dickinson with USAWOA 

Distinguished Service Medal and Ribbon 

recipients: Cadet John Howe; Cadet Cody 

Mangels: Cadet Paul Hurd, and Cadet Tyler Rico. 

Tucson, AZ 

(L to R) CW2 (Ret) Dickinson with Scholarship 

recipients: Cadet Colonel Houston Clark and 

Cadet LTC Alexandrea Provine. 


National Guard report 


By CW5 Gene Touchstone 

Assistant VP for Army National Guard Affairs 

For more than a century, the pinnacle of golf has 

been to score 59, a score that had been recorded only 

three times in Professional Golf Association (PGA) 

Tour history before 2010. Then, in 2010, Paul Goydos 

scored a 59 only to be equaled a month later by 

Stuart Appleby’s 59. Consequently, some sportswriters 

speculated that the most coveted achievement in golf 

was now becoming commonplace! 

Ordinary? Hardly, just ask any golfer, professional 

or amateur. It’s amazing to see two 59s in the same 

season, but it would be a mistake to begin to view this 

as ordinary. To score a 59 is an unbelievable extraordinary 

accomplishment. For us amateurs, that is definitely 

an extraordinary event. Even for the professionals 

on the PGA tour, under the pressure they are under to 

perform, it is an extraordinary accomplishment. Just 

think of how many rounds of golf have been played 

over the centuries, and only have 5 rounds below 60. 

That would be 6 rounds if you count Kim Jong-Il, the 

former Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of 

North Korea, who picked up a golf club for the very 

first time, and, as witnessed by 17 security guards 

and reported by the state news agency, shot a smooth 

38-under-par round of 34, including 11 holes-in-one. 

I recently read with much interest “Is The Army 

Warrant Officer Corps Relevant To Future Force Structure?” 

by CW5 James R. Rathburn in the February 2012 

edition of the Newsliner. I believe that CW5 Rathburn 

has scored a 59 (or 34) with his comments. I agree 

fully with his comments about ensuring we know our 

core competencies, staying abreast of modernization 

and changes that influence our crafts, and keeping 

current with events affecting our branches and maximizing 

communications among our peers. We must be 

mentors to our subordinates, peers and superiors. 

I would like to take this to another level by saying 

we MUST change our Legacy Mind set. We are no 

longer just Technical Experts. We have become much, 

much more. 

Over the years, many actions have changed the 

Warrant Officer (WO) authority and responsibilities. 

When I was appointed a WO1, it was by an appointment 

from the Secretary of the Army. I was only 

considered a technical expert. I was expected to know 

personnel and administrative doctrine and procedures 

and how they applied to the organization. Over the 

years since my appointment, the WO has become the 

adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer and 

advisor. Unfortunately, some of our senior officers and 

WOs still do not accept this change. In order for us to 

become a relevant part of the force, we must change 

that mindset, and yes it begins from within. 

National Guard Warrant Officer Update 

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 

2011 changed the appointment authority to the 

President of the United States. As I addressed the 

Unites States Army Warrant Officer Association’s Annual 

Meeting of the Members in Fayetteville, NC last 

October, NDAA 11 has also affected the “business 

as normal” for the National Guard Warrant Officer. 

Promotion procedures have changed, which resulted 

in long time frame for promotion orders. That process 

has been established and is under continuing review 

for promptness. 

We have recently met with Congressional staffers 

in an attempt to speed up promotion for Warrant 

Officer One (WO1) to Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) 

promotions. Wording to a proposed amendment to 

the Unites States Code (USC) Title 10 for NDAA 12 has 

been reviewed and hopefully in the approval process. 

The Annual Meeting of the Warrant Officer Senior 

Advisory Council (WOSAC) will be held in St. Louis, 

MO the second week of May. All the Command Chief 

Warrant Officers (CCWO) from the 54 states, territories 

and Districts of Columbia will be present as will the 

CCWO from the National Guard Bureau. Also invited 

are representatives of the proponents. 

Our WO COHORT is faced with increasingly more 

and more changes. We must face these issues and 

look for better ways to do business. We must look at 

the BIGGER picture. We can no longer go to our offices, 

shops, supply rooms, etc, close the door and be 

oblivious to our outside surroundings. We must get 

involved. 

One of the greatest speeches of all times was 

General Douglas MacArthur’s “Duty, Honor, Country” 

speech to the Corps of Cadets at West Point on May 

12, 1962. We must, as Gen. MacArthur said in his 

speech, understand that the American man at arms is 

“one of the world’s noblest figures.” We must treat 

them that way, as they are leaders of tomorrow. It is 

inherent upon us to train them so that they are prepared 

to take our places. I am impressed with the 

today’s younger Soldiers. They are knowledgeable, 

technically and tactically proficient in warrior tasks and 

skills. We owe it to them to leave it better than we 

found it. 

As of 2 April 2012, the Army National Guard 

(ARNG) WO assigned strength is 8232. That is 1898 

short of authorized strength of 10130. Although the 

ARNG has over 358,000 Soldiers, each states has a limited 

numbers. The 358,000 is divided into 54 states, 

territories and districts. With Texas at 19,220 on the 

high end and the Virgin Islands at 774 on the low, the 

average is approximately 6630 per each. When the 

CCWO of a state sends a pre-determination packet

forward for review, rest assured it has gone through a 

thorough process within the state. When the Brigade, 

Battalion, and Company Commanders have recommended 

a potential Soldier to be a WO, I know that 

they want them in that position. Unlike Active Duty, 

when we (ARNG) select (recommend) a Soldier to 

become a WO, those Commanders have in most cases 

served in combat with them. They have seen them 

perform under pressure. They know that the potential 

candidate has accomplished the mission under duress. 

The ARNG selects individuals to come back to fill a vacancy 

in that unit. This is totally different than Active 

Duty. 

NCOERs are used by the proponents to evaluate 

the qualifications of potential WO Candidates. We in 

the ARNG, for the most part, are not good at writing 

NCOERs. Due to training/time restraints, we tend to 

look at anything other than training as a hindrance 

to the mission. Therefore, we take the easy way out 

by giving the quality Rated NCO a middle of the road 

NCOER. This unfairly reflects back on the potential 

WO. Yes, it is an injustice to our Soldiers, but quite 

simply the way it is. 

How we review and evaluate potential WOs needs 

Editor’s note: Chapter President CW4 (Ret) Dale 

Bienusa. SHOW ME Chapter, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO 

shares his retention letter with other officers. 

Fellow Chapter officers, 

I’m not sure what other Chapters are doing for 

recruitment/retention, but I generally send out Personalized 

“Friendly Reminders” that Memberships are 

expiring/expired. While we don’t always get a positive 

response, most of the time we get a “Hey, thanks for 

reminding me I totally forgot about it” response. I 

thought I would share it with other chapters for possible 

adoption to fit their circumstances. 

Dear _______ 

Hope this email finds you doing well. Just wanted 

to drop you a friendly reminder that according to USA- 

WOA Records - your US Army Warrant Officer Association 

Membership recently expired. If this is in error, I 

apologize. 

If it is accurate, I encourage you to renew your 

membership. We need your support for our Association 

to Lobby in Congress on issues that are in OUR 

best interest. 

As it applies to the membership, I personally 

battled the following during my Army Career.....trying 

to remember when my membership expired, got busy 

and it expired on me.....PCS’ed and tried to find a local 

Chapter to join, got busy and it expired on me..... 

deployed and then tried to get back into the swing of 

things and renew my membership and it expired on 

me. 

National Guard report 

to be reviewed. The process of accession should be 

reconsidered from outside the normal “box.” Many of 

the ARNG potential WOs have civilian skills that make 

them uniquely qualified. The formal MOS qualification 

is in many cases supplemented by civilian skills which 

must be a part of the process. 

Just as a few golfers have reached the pinnacle of 

the scorecard with their 59s, we too, may reach the 

extraordinary by reviewing our processes and procedures. 

Let us dedicate ourselves to improving things 

for those to come. Let us leave the WO COHORT a better 

place for those that will take our places. 

The National Guard remains a ready, reliable, relevant 

and indispensable force. Our Warrant Officers 

remain the leaders, advisors, mentors, and educators 

for the force as well as being the technical experts we 

have always been. 

It is my honor to serve the warrant officers of the 

Army National Guard. 

Professionals join Professional Organizations. Be active 

in your associations. Your voice means much. A 

Letter to the editor 

All of these hardships provoked me to get a Lifetime 

Membership. I would highly encourage the 

Lifetime Membership. A lot of folks think...well I only 

have X years of active duty remaining. As a retired 

CW4, I can tell you that this membership applies to Active 

Duty, ARNG, USAR and RET Folks. Lifetime Memberships 

vary in price based on age, and may seem 

expensive, but trust me they are cheaper in the long 

run. Payment for these memberships are optional 

with lump sum or 10 equal payments on a credit card 

of your choice......which by today’s gas prices would 

equate to about a tank of gas worth of money per 

month. More information can be obtained by going 

to the Website: http://www.usawoa.org/ and http:// 

www.usawoa.org/LM_Facts.htm or calling them at 

1-800-587-2962. 

Your choice, but please consider renewing your 

membership either way.......... 1 Year, 3 Year, 5 Year or 

Lifetime. 

BLUF: There is strength in numbers and we need 

YOU in OUR numbers!!! 

As a reminder we do have an active Chapter here 

at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. 

Our USAWOA Chapter meets the second Thursday 

of every month at the Pershing Community Club on 

Fort Leonard Wood. The times of these meetings are 

1130-1300. 

Hope to see you there! A 



Continued from page 3. 

supporter. Army DCSPERs during our history have 

supported the USAWOA by addressing our Annual 

Meetings. Other speakers through the 1970s included 

succeeding DCSPERs and other key Army leaders addressed 

our Association. 

In addition, the WOD Chief and career management 

officers provided career guidance at AMMs and 

at European Region conventions and professional 

development officers attended chapter meetings 

throughout the country and in Europe and Korea in 

support of the USAWOA. The relationship with WOD, 

ODCSPER and the Army leadership was critical in establishing 

and maintaining USAWOA as a professional 

Association. 

The recognition of the USAWOA was not limited to 

involvement with the WOD but the visibility opened 

up other areas of concern for better representation 

of Warrant Officers as an integral part of the officer 

corps. The following issues are just a few of the recommendations 

provided by our members, chapters, 

and regions. These recommendations were voted on 

by the membership at the AMMs or approved by the 

Board of Directors (BOD) for submission to the appropriate 

authorities and implemented by the Department 

of the Army during the 1970s. 


• The disparity in aviation flight pay was narrowed 

and then equalized. 

• Concurrent travel for CW4s and promotable CW3s 

was authorized. 

• Appropriate field grade quarters for CW4s and 

promotable CW3s was authorized. 

• Warrant Officer career management programs 

were implemented for all Warrant officer career 

fields. 

• The Warrant Officer Senior Course was 

established and USAWOA was invited to address 

the first class. 

• Warrant officers were appointed to serve on 

Warrant Officer promotion boards. 

• Civilian education opportunities were expanded 

for Warrant Officers in all specialties. 

• A Warrant Officer position was established in the 

Officer Chief for Army Reserve for Warrant 

Officer policy issues. 

• Warrant officers were included in DA teams 

visiting installations in CONUS and overseas. 

• Additional duties performed by Warrant Officers 

were clarified. 

These advances, on a piecemeal basis, were the 

forerunners of major advances in the Warrant Officer 

program. The USAWOA’s role in the above actions 

and many more, was to identify those issues which 

would improve the Corps, provide the rationale for 

the recommended changes, forward the recommendations 

to the Army leadership for decisions and then 

use every available means to keep those issues on the 

front burner with all those who were involved in the 

decision making process. 

As we gained the respect of the Army leadership 

in those early years, the Association turned its attention 

to internal matters. To ensure we maintained a 

professional image for our membership and to establish 

standards of excellence within our Association, 

USAWOA implemented several actions beginning in 

the early 1970s: 

• Instituted a merger with the European Warrant 

Officers Association in 1973 to ensure Warrant 

Officer representation with one voice.

• Incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 

1974. 

• Accepted as a full member of the Council of 

Military Organizations (COMO) in 1976. COMO 

was the forerunner of The Military Coalition 

(TMC) and USAWOA became one of the 16 

charter members of TMC and provided USAWOA 

with the expertise of stronger associations not 

only in legislative, but in administrative matters 

as well. 

• Institutionalized bylaws and administrative 

manuals to standardize chapter, region and 

national policies within the Association. 

• Initiated a program to recognize the distinguished 

and honor graduates at Warrant Officer courses. 

• Initiated a Warrant Officer and Spouse of the Year 

and other recognition programs. 

• Initiated a program with the American Council of 


Education (ACE) to award civilian education credit 

for Warrant Officer service. 

• Initiated action with the editor of the “Officers 

Guide” to include Warrant Officer related information 

in their publication which previously excluded warrant 

officers. 

Next month’s article, Part three, will cover the 

USAWOA in the 1980s. A major overhaul of the Warrant 

Officer program would begin a new era which 

would lead to redefining the role of the Warrant 

Officer, beginning with the definition, recruiting, 

promotion, utilization, military and civilian education, 

commissioning and much more. The role of 

the USAWOA in the transition of the Warrant Officer 

Corps in the 1980s was instrumental in identifying 

and addressing professional concerns to bring the 

Warrant Officer Corps into the mainstream of the officer 

corps. A 

Ordnance Regimental Chief Warrant Officer Selected 

CW5 Terry Hetrick has been selected as the eighth Ordnance 

Regimental Warrant officer. He enlisted delayed entry 

in 1983 and served in various enlisted mechanical maintenance 

positions supporting an array of Army units including tours in 

Germany, Honduras, South West Asia, Hawaii and posts across 

the United States. 

In 1994, CW5 Hetrick was appointed to the US Army Warrant 

Officer Corps 915A. He was assigned 

with the 2/2 (Assault) Aviation Battalion, 

2D Infantry Division at Camp Stanley, 

Korea, where he served as Battalion 

Maintenance Officer. In 1995 he was assigned 

to the 32nd Transportation Company 

(Palletized Load System), 43rd Area 

Support Group as the Unit Maintenance 

Technician at Fort Carson, Colorado. 

From 1996 to2001, he served at Fort 

Carson, Colorado with the 3rd Armored 

Cavalry Regiment as the Squadron Maintenance 

Officer including deployment to 

Camp Comanche, Bosnia in support of 

Stabilization Force Seven. From 2001 to 

2004, CW5 Hetrick served as the General 

Support Maintenance Advisor, Active 

Component/Reserve Component, at the 

National Maintenance Training Center, 

Camp Dodge, Iowa. 

CW5 Hetrick deployed in 2004 to 

the Combat Equipment Battalion, Camp 

Arifjan Kuwait, as the Army Materiel Command Quality Assurance 

Maintenance Chief (FWD) supporting Theater Sustainment 

to Iraq Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II, Afghanistan OPERATION 

ENDURING FREEDOM, and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of 

Africa. From 2005 to 2006, he served as the Senior Logistics 

Advisor, Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Testability Engineers, 

Future Combat Systems, and Fort Knox, Kentucky. CW5 

Hetrick served from 2006 to 2009 as the Army Force Generation 

Logistics Officer, Distribution Management Center, Army Sus- 

tainment Command, Rock Island, Illinois. From 2009 to 2011, 

Chief Hetrick served as the Chief of Maintenance, G4 Senior 

Logistics Officer, Headquarters US Army Pacific Command, and 

Fort Shafter, Hawaii. 

CW5 Hetrick deployed 2011 in support of OPERATION EN- 

DURING FREEDOM as the NATO Training Mission/Combined 

Security Transition Command- Afghanistan, CJ4 Senior Maintenance 

Advisor to the Afghanistan National 

Security Forces, Kabul, Afghanistan 

prior to being selected as the Eighth 

Ordnance Regimental Warrant Officer. 

CW5 Hetrick’s military education 

includes the Warrant Officer Senior 

Staff Course Contracting Officer’s Representative 

Course, and the Air Assault 

Course. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in 

Management from Grand View University, 

Iowa. 

Military awards and decorations include 

the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious 

Service Medal, Meritorious Service 

Medal, Joint Service Commendation 

Medal, Army Commendation Medal, 

Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct 

Medal, National Defense Service 

Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary 

Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, 

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary 

Medal , Global War on Terrorism Service 

Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Korea Defense Service 

Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service 

Medal, Non-Commission Officer (NCO) Development Ribbon, 

Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Kuwait 

(KU) Liberation Medal Saudi Arabia (SA), Medal (KU), and the Air 

Assault Badge. He is a recipient of the Ordnance Order of Samuel 

Sharp and an active member of the US Army Ordnance Corps 

Association, and the US Army Warrant Officer Association. A 


In Memoriam 

CW2 (Ret) Boyd W “Woody Wooten 

Gahanna, OH 

CWO (Ret) Ruben C Young Jr 

Dutton, AL 

CW4 (Ret) Dave K Norris 

Spanaway, WA 

CW5 (Ret) Don Cotton 

Bradenton, FL 

Members of the USAWOA and their families are eligible to join PenFed. 

A PenFed Car Loan. Right for you. 


New Life Members 

01372L CW4R DIANE P STOKER 

01373L CW5 HERMAN O BURTON, JR 

01374L CW5 CRAIG T KRENZ 

01375L WO1 DARREN E SCHROEDER 

01377L CW4R ROGER B WYNN 

01378L CW3 DANIEL R VERSLUES 

01379L CW5R ROBERT L FORSS 

01380L CW4 ALICE D AHLFIELD 

01381L WO1 TIMOTHY J ROGERS 

01382L CW2 ROBERT DAvID MCMATH 

01383L CW4 ROBERT P WILLS 

01384L WO1 HEATHER E ALDRIDGE 

01385L CW4R CHARLES E ROGERS 

01386L CW5R WILLIAM C MULLINS 

01387L CW4R BUDDY L LIGGENSTOFFER 

01388L CW4R ALAN L DOROTHY 

01389L CW4R DANNY G BARLOW 

01390L CW5R TONY S MCALISTER 

01391L CW2 CLARISSE S BERNIER 

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nK LAST nAMe FirST nAMe Br TM 

35 YeArS 

CW4R KOCH GORDON AG 

CW3R WILSON JAMES QM * 

30 YeArS 

CW3R CLARK EARL MS * 

25 YeArS 

CW4R EASTMAN MICHAEL AV # 

CW3R MAZZACONE DAVID QM * 

CW5R PALMER DUANE OD * 

CW3R SHIPP RICHARD AG 

CW3R SMITH JAMES OD * 

CW3R TUCKER EDRYCE QM 

CW5 WELLS MARY OD 

20 YeArS 

CW4R COYLE JOHN MS # 

CW4R EMIG ERNEST QM # 

CW3R GONZALES RICHARD MI * 

CW4R HAMILTON JAMES AG * 

CW3R HICKS RAYMOND OD * 

CW3R KELLY RUTH AG * 

CW4R MCCURDY HARRY OD 

CW3R MYRAND DAVID OD * 

CW4R SMITH RICKIE MS 

CW4R TIRK GUY MI 

CW5R WIGGLESWORTH CHARLES AG * 

15 YeArS 

CW4R BIERLY DWAYNE SF 

CW4 GIUSTO JOSEPH OD * 

CW5R GOWIN ROBERT QM # 

CW4R JONES ANTHONY QM 

CW4R KESTER NORMAN XX * 

CW4R MONROE CECIL QM 

CW4 PITTS JASON QM * 

CW3R SNOVER JEFFREY QM * 

CW3R WALKER JOHN QM # 

CW3R WEBBER NEWTON QM # 

Continuous Membership April 2012 

Your continuous dedication and financial support of 

USAWOA over the years has been a driving 

force in the success of our Association. 

rnK LAST nAMe FirST nAMe Br TM 

10 YeArS 

CW3 ARMBRUSTER VINCENT OD 

CW5 BOWERS GERALDINE AV * 

CW4 CONRAD STEVEN AG * 

CW3 DAVID WILLIS QM 

CW4R DONOHUE DANIEL OD 

CW4R FELICIANO ANIBAL OD 

CW5R HEITHCOCK MURRY XX 

CW2R HOWARD LISA MI * 

CW5 IKEDA STEPHEN QM * 

CW5R LOCKLAR LARRY OD # 

CW4R McDANIEL JOSEPH MI # 

CW3R RICH WAYNE SC 

CW3 SPIHER JAMES OD # 

CW5 SWINGLER WALTER QM * 

CW4R VANGILDER WADE QM # 

CW2 WALLINGFORD JOHN EN * 

CW3R WOODMANSEE LARRY SC # 

5 YeArS 

CW2 BOGGESS JOE OD 

CW4 CAMPBELL RUSSELL QM 

CW2R CHO STEVE AG * 

CW5 CULLUM GEORGE AG # 

CW2 DUCKETT THOMAS OD 

CW5 FRAKA LEANN AV 

CW2 GIBBS MICHAEL OD 

CW3 PERDUE CHRISTOPHER OD # 

CW4 PHELPS REX SC # 

CW5 PLANTE RICHARD QM # 

CW5R READY JANICE AG 

CW3R WALSH LAWRENCE QM * 

CW3 WINGO ANDREA AG 

CW2R WOLFE PHILIP OD # 

CW5 WYBORNEY DOUGLAS AV 

* indicates Life Member 

# indicates Multi Year Member 

## Associate Member 


Bits & Pieces 

Army to complete Enterprise-Email 

move by March 2013 

The Army resumed migrations to DOD Enterprise 

Email on March 18, 2012. We encourage all 

members to update their membership record when 

their email migrates from AKO to “mail.mil” DOD 

Enterprise Email. You can post the new email address 

by going to https://usawoa.net and logging in to the 

USAWOA Portal. Next scroll down to and click on “My 

Information,” then on “Edit Information.” Change the 

email address and any other information that needs 

change or updating. Lastly scroll to the bottom of the 

page and click on “Save.” A 


AKO Introduces New Site Versions 

AKO is dividing into two different versions: one for 

FOUO content and another for non-FOUO content. As 

a result, all AKO content designated by users as FOUO 

will only be available to those who log in with a CAC/ 

PIN. Users who log in with a username/password can 

only access non-FOUO content. This change is being 

made to comply with DOD and Army Cyber Command 

directives, and was effective 28 March 2012. Retirees, 

family members, and individuals without a CAC/ 

PIN and using User ID & Password should use and 

bookmark the new Non-FOUO site at https://ako. 

us.army.mil. A 

Don’t Wait For Social Security Check In The Mail 

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER 

Associated Press 

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Starting next year, the check will no longer be in the mail for millions of people who receive Social 

Security and other government benefits. 

The federal government, which issues 73 million payments a month, is phasing out paper checks for all benefit programs, 

requiring people to get payments electronically, either through direct deposit or a debit card for those without a bank 

account. 

The changes will affect people who get Social Security, veterans’ benefits, railroad pensions and federal disability 

payments. Tax refunds are exempt, but the Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to get refunds electronically by 

processing those refunds faster than paper checks. 

About 90 percent of people who receive federal benefits already get their payments electronically, the Treasury 

Department says. New beneficiaries were required to get payments electronically starting last year, and with a few exceptions, 

the rest will have to make the switch by March 2013. 

Read the complete article at http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/U/US_NO_MORE_CHECKS?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION= 

HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-04-15-08-51-11. A 

SOURCE: Stars and Stripes at http://www.stripes.com/ 

Aviation Membership Committee 

CW5 (Ret) Gale “Butch” Zirpolo has been appointed as the National Aviation Membership Committee CW5 Zirpolo retired in 

July 2003 after 26 years of active duty. He has been assigned at every level of command, from platoon to Aviation Brigade including 

assignments as an attack pilot , test pilot, aviation maintenance officer and senior instructor at the WO Career College (WOCC) 

instructing in a wide range of military subjects in Leadership and Logistics. CW5 (Ret) Zirpolo is a welcome addition to the National 

Executive Committee bringing a long history of aviation experience and advice to the Association leadership. A 

Savings Bond Update 

Dear Members: 

If you all are like me, you probably have childhood memories of spending a rainy afternoon with family and friends playing the timehonored, 

singularly American game of Monopoly. One of my favorite things about this was landing on “Community Chest,” especially if I 

drew the card that announced: “BANK ERROR IN YOUR FAVOR – COLLECT $200 DOLLARS.” I am sending you this message to announce 

that there has been an “ASSOCIATION ERROR IN YOUR FAVOR.” This year, the Federal Government changed the Savings Bond program – 

no longer are bonds purchased at a discount of their face value, maturing over a period of years. Rather, these bonds are now PRICED at 

face value, and accrue interest from there. Your Association was not aware of this when we developed and published this year’s Annual 

Fundraiser, so this year’s winners of the various raffles have the opportunity to win twice the money they have in previous years (by 

winning bonds immediately redeemable at face-value)! 

I hope this will encourage all members to sell or buy twice as many tickets this year, thereby increasing odds of winning twice as much 

money (and, of course, helping your Association defray the additional cost of this fundraising event…:_). I thank each and every one of 

you for participating in our fundraiser over the years. This event has been crucial in our ability to avoid raising member dues for almost ten 

years. I firmly believe we have the most dedicated, loyal members of any Military Association in this country! If you want more books of 

raffle tickets, please do not hesitate to contact the National Headquarters – we will get them right out to you. Thanks again for taking the 

time to read this, and for your continued support of your Association! A

Fort rucker, AL 

WO1 Christopher Brooks is 

presented the USAWOA Leadership 

award for WOCS Class 12-09 

by CW4 Danny Taylor. 

Your Custom Order Class IX 

MRO Specialists 

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Proud Corporate 

Member of 

Photos Courtesy of U.S. Army 

Congratulations 

WOCS Class 12-09 

Fort rucker, AL 

WO1 Gary Magallanes is 

presented the USAWOA Distinguished Honor 

Graduate award for WOCS Class 12-09 

by CW4 McCarter.

USAWOA HEADqUARTERS 

462 HERNDON PkWy, #207 

HERNDON, VA 20170-5235 

uSAWOA Supports the defenders Lodge 

The palo alto veterans administration 

defenders lodge 

By supporting The Defenders Lodge, we can help veterans in our backyard. 

Support The Defenders Lodge—we can help veterans in our own backyard. 

Once completed, The Defenders Lodge will be a free, 

short-term hotel facility that will support the thousands 

of veterans who travel from all over the West Coast and 

Pacific Rim to the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital. 

Join us in our committment to help our nation’s 

defenders by ensuring they do not suffer preventable 

hardships after serving our country. Your donation will 

make The Defenders Lodge closer to reality. 

we need your help to ensure defenders lodge becomes a reality 

PentagonFoundation.org or DefendersLodge.org (703) 838-1094 

2011.03 USAOWA - Defenders Lodge v2.indd 1 2/17/12 4:52:53 PM

MEMORiAl DAy 2012 - USAWOA Portal

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