August - the Dallas Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars

Dallas Military Order News
Volume 22, No. 8
Best Large Chapter in the Nation
August 2014
Chapter Staff
Chapter Commander
COL Joseph Cordina, USAF
972-633-5504
jlcordina@airmail.net
Senior Vice Commander
LTC Ken Boatman, USA
972-393-2718
ken3393@hotmail.com
Junior Vice Commander
MAJ Andy White, USA
214-789-0921
awhite.6star@yahoo.com
Adjutant
CPT Alan Backof, USA
972-608-5278
abackof68@aol.com
Treasurer
MRS Maurine Dickey
214-415-7946
mdickey47@hotmail.com
Marshal
Lt Col Phil Hardin, USAF
214-872-7523
phil.hardin@hotmail.com
Chaplain
CPT Weldon Estes, USA
214-339-3552
weldonelizabeth@juno.com
JAG
COL Tod Almquist, USA
972-458-2161
tfalmquist@sbcglobal.net
Surgeon
MAJ Lannie Hughes, USA
972-661-8509
hughes7220@aol.com
Historian
LTC Charles Alford, USA
214-826-5183
grampsalford@aol.com
From the Desk of the Dallas Chapter Commander:
Fellow Companions, our Chapter once again set even higher marks for our
outreach over this past summer. We sponsored 83 young men & women at the recent Youth Leadership Conferences, held at five Texas
locations. Our community outreach touches so many
young lives. It has raised awareness of the many superb
activities MOWW does to promote Americanism and the
aspects of leadership development. With so many aspiring leaders preparing their futures for the many challenges
that lie ahead, our nation has a bright future.
On a sadder note, we lost two wonderful companions over this summer (see the
obituaries on page 7). US Army Colonel Carlos Hedstrom (age 91) and CWO-2
Chip Parker (age 71) entered the Kingdom of God – both were devoted Companions and supporters for the ambitions of our Chapter. Both will be truly missed as
their dynamic personalities “lit up the room” at our various events. Please keep the
families of these fine men in your prayers. Our Chapter had presence at both
memorial ceremonies to properly honor these patriots.
As you are reading this the MOWW National Convention is preparing for kickoff in
Baltimore. The convention will be throughout this
first week of August and will bring together
representatives of Chapters from throughout the
world. The various seminars are designed to help us
shape our goals and objectives and to initiate procedures that will support achievement of these goals.
The "cross-pollination" will certainly prove valuable;
we will have a cadre of no less than eight attending this annual event. Although this
will be my first, I have great expectations! I am certain my report back will
encourage all of you to put next year's Convention in your planner for August 2015.
Lastly, remember your “2 Minutes Per Day” duty to our Chapter. Just 2 minutes a
day, one hour a month, it adds up and will make for a substantial contribution to
furthering our goals. Please volunteer for a choice committee. Simply tell ANY of
our Chapter officers of your choice and desire. You will find a warm reception
ahead of you! Blessings to all,
Joseph Cordina
Commander, Dallas Chapter
Last Month’s Program, June 2014
This Month’s Program, August 2014
Eyes in the Skies
The Post-Presidency of George W. Bush
Dallas Police Lieutenant Ken Seguin took us on a tour of
Dallas as seen
through
the
eyes of the
Commander of
the Dallas PD
Helicopter Unit
that patrols the
city from 2,000
feet above the
skyline. Ken's
fleet of Bell
206A Jet RangLT Ken Seguin briefed a former Air Force
ers (similar to
pilot who had wandered in to his office
the
Army's
OH-58 Kiowa), is on call 24 hrs a day, 365 days of the
year, to provide support to "Officers on the ground". Ken
manages an annual operating budget of just over $2.3
million, and a crew of 19 Dallas Police officers, of
whom 14 are pilots (many of them, former military).
William McKenzie was a member of the team that won
the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial
writing in 2010. Bill joined
the Dallas Morning News in
1991 and contributed to their
editorial pages for over 20
years. He often writes about
Education issues, although his
articles have also covered a
broad spectrum of topics
affecting Texas and the nation.
He is at his best when he
writes of faith, family, and
Pulitzer Prize winner,
William McKenzie
freedoms.
The Gathering of Eagles
Next Quarter’s Programs
Seeking the Wisdom of the Ages
The current Chapter Commander Joseph Cordina hosted
a Breakfast for his Staff and all of the Chapter's Past
Commanders. It has become an annual tradition to brief
the former Commanders on current Goals and Objectives
and to seek input and suggestions from them on ideas that
have worked well in previous years.
Joe raised the bar, considerably, by convening the meeting in one of the formal Dining Halls in the elegant
Crescent Club in Uptown Dallas.
In 2013, Bill became the Director of the Bush Institute, a
public policy center within the George W. Bush
Presidential Library, whose programs include: Economic Growth, Education Reform, Global Health,
Human Freedom, and Military Service Initiatives.
Speaker Programs Just Keep Getting Better
5 Aug 14 – William McKenzie, Bush Institute
“The Post Presidency of George W. Bush"
2 Sep 14 – COL Joe Cordina, Chapter Commander
YLC and JROTC Awards Presentations
7 Oct 14 – Mark Davis, Commentator, WBAP AM
“Turning the Thing Around”
Silver Patrick Henry awards
Chapter recognizes 3 for Patriotic Achievement
Senior Vice Commander Ken Boatman had the pleasant
task of presenting the Silver Patrick Henry Certificate and
medallion to Companions Weldon Estes, Phil Hardin, and
Alan Backof, for their years of dedicated service to
the Chapter.
L-R, Rollie Stevens, Jim Gooch, Phil Hardin, Al Backof, Ron
Forest, Lannie Hughes, Walt Laidlaw, Joe Cordina,
Ken Boatman, Maurine Dickey, Chris Davis, Lyle Mueller, Don
Munson (photographer), Chuck Chamberlin, John Hayes, and
King Moss
Dr. Estes and Joe Cordina,
Phil Hardin and Ken's Hand,
Alan Backof and Ken Boatman
Happy Birthday
One Year Older; A Whole Lot Wiser
1 August
1 August
2 August
2 August 1918
Chap (Dr) Weldon Estes
COL Harry Urey
TAMU Cadet Ian Barton
Maj Gen Andrew Rollins, Jr
4 August
4 August
8 August
8 August
8 August
9 August
10 August
10 August
11 August
11 August
12 August
12 August
14 August
14 August
15 August
17 August
17 August
19 August
21 August
21 August
22 August
22 August
23 August
23 August
23 August
26 August
26 August
Mr Paul Epply-Schmidt
Lt Col Sid Snedeker
LT Thor James Hansen
CPT Chris Kite-Powell
COL Charles Thompson
Capt Paul Welch
Maj Gen Jeffery Kahla
CW4 James Rasley
LTC Jerry Betts
Mr. Roy Kurth
CPT Walter Garriss
LCDR Jack Neal
CPT Edwin McAuliffe
Capt William Sweitzer
CPT Bernard Kenan
COL Richard Cullum
Capt Stanley Seat
LT Henrietta Slagle
Ms Christine Hogan
CPT Peter Maurer
CDR Terry Hauck
Mr. Robert Paleschic
Mr. William Farmer
Mr. Louis Felini
MAJ James Murtagh
CPT David Curtis
Ms. Catherine Moore
26 August
Capt James Patterson
26 August
LT Jerry Prater
26 August
27 August
27 August
Capt Harold F. Ray, Jr
LT Thomas Meyer
LTC Don Munson
28 August
CPT Katherine Stewart
Perpetual Membership
Engineers build things - and blow things up
Brigadier General Thomas Kula retired from active duty
service and stepped into one of
the most challenging jobs of his
life. He is now the Director of
the North Texas Municipal
Water District, charged with
providing water to over 800,000
Texans, during a decade of
severe drought. We proudly
welcome Tom into the Chapter
as
our
403rd
Perpetual
Companion.
Regular Members
Are you a Sponsor? If not, why not?
The Dallas Chapter inducted two more Companions into
our Order during the July Luncheon at the Park City Club.
Captain Fred Aurbach, was commissioned as a 2nd LT in
the Medical Service Corps. He was a
Distinguished Military Graduate of
Hardin-Simmons
University,
in
Abilene, TX. He served in Viet Nam
during the war (1968-69) and was later
Commanding Officer of the 28th
General Hospital Company, at Fort
Meade, Maryland. He left the military
to enter Dental School at Baylor University. Fred and his
wife, Pam, live in Irving. His sponsor is Ron Forest.
Captain James Delano Runzheimer served in the US Army
from June 1967 to April 1971. Jim and his wife, Jan, live
in Arlington, TX. Jim's sponsor is
John Wagner. The Chapter Newsletter
will feature these two members in a
future edition, which will provide the
opportunity to expand in greater detail
on their military and civilian careers.
Outstanding Service Award
Well deserved recognition
Chapter Commander Joe Cordina presented the Outstanding Service Award to James
Gooch, who has served with
distinction in numerous volunteer positions, to include the
annual Dallas Veterans Day
Parade. Jim often answers the
call for "interviewers or
presenters" at local high schools
to award Top Cadets or select outstanding students to
attend the Chapter sponsored Youth Leadership Conferences. Congratulations, Jim. Take a bow..
WELCOME TWO RECENT MEMBERS INTO THE CHAPTER
Brigadier General Thomas W. Kula, US Army
Captain Barry L. Brown, US Navy
Tom Kula was born in North Chicago, Ill. He graduated
from the United States
Military Academy in
1982, with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Civil
Engineering, and was
commissioned a Second
Lieutenant in the Corps
of Engineers. He holds a
Master's
Degree
in
Military Arts & Science
from the Command &
General Staff College.
Barry Brown was born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA.
He
graduated
from
Southeastern Louisiana
University in 1979, with
a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration/Finance.
He
attended Law School at
Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, leaving prior to degree completion to enter private
business. He was commissioned an Ensign in
the U.S. Navy through
the Direct Commissioning Program, in March 1988. He
completed the US Air Force Command & Staff College.
Kula's military education
includes the Engineer Officer Basic Course, Infantry
Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Service &
Staff School, Command & General Staff College, School
of Advanced Military Studies, and U.S. Army War College Fellowship at the University of Texas.
His first active duty assignment was as Platoon Leader,
then Battalion S-1, and later, Company Commander, in
the 78th Engineer Battalion (a Corps level, Combat
Engineer unit), in Ettlingen, Germany. Later assignments included: Aide de Camp to the Commanding
General, Ft Leonard Wood, MO; Chief of G-3 Plans, 82d
Airborne Division, Ft Bragg, NC; Commander, 307th
Engineer Battalion, 82d Airborne Division, Plans Officer, United States Southern Command, Miami, FL;
Commander, 130th Engineer Brigade, V Corps, Hanau,
Germany during the Iraqi War, and Chief of Staff,
Maneuver Support Center, Ft Leonard Wood, Missouri.
On July 2, 2010, BG Kula became the Commander of
U.S. Army Southwestern Engineer Division, covering all
or part of seven states, with annual programs totaling
$5.4 billion. In 2014, Tom retired and became Director of
the North Texas Water District, that provides critical water services to 800,000 people in North Texas.
His awards and decorations include three Legion of Merit
medals, the Bronze Star Medal, Dept of Defense Meritorious Service Medal, six Army Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army
Achievement Medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal, Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service
Medal, Ranger and Sapper Tabs, plus Master Parachutist,
German Parachutist, Pathfinder, Combat Action and Army Staff Badges.
Tom and his wife, Jeanette, live in Rockwall., TX.
.
Barry is Assistant to the Executive Director at Navy Logistics Support Center, Norfolk, VA. Previously he was
Commanding Officer, Disposal Remediation Team Six,
Jacksonville, FL; Executive Officer, Navy Petroleum
Office Detachment 210, Houston, TX; Operations and
Training Officer, Forward Freight Terminal Unit 210,
Houston, TX; Assistant Supply Officer, USS Inchon
SAU, Ingleside, TX; and Supply Officer, Naval Surface
Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, Houston, TX.
In 1990, he deployed to Saudi Arabia, in support of Operation Desert Storm, then in 2006, he deployed to Camp
Arifjan, Kuwait, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He recently served as Navy Liaison Officer for Joint Logistics Command in Port au Prince, providing recovery
assistance from the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
In civilian life, Barry is a Senior Vice President with
Bank of the Ozarks in Frisco, TX. His banking career has
spanned over 28 years to include Bank of America and
JP Morgan. He serves on numerous boards including the
Texas A & M University School of Business, the Corpus
Christi Economic Development Corporation, the Corpus
Christi Arts Commission, and the Dallas Council of the
Navy League of the US.
CAPT Brown’s decorations include two Joint Service
Commendation Medals, Navy & Marine Corps
Commendation Medal, three Navy & Marine Corps
Achievement Medals, the Global War on Terrorism
Expeditionary Medal and various other unit awards.
Barry and his wife, Shirley, live in Frisco. They have two
sons; David (25) and Nolan (22), and two grandchildren.
THE 2014 YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE STATION
Hats off to all of the Companions who contributed to the success of the six
Southwest Youth Leadership Conferences supported by the Dallas Chapter
.
The
journey begins
on
Sunday. Loading the buses
for the trip to College Station.
In-Processing. Dorm assignments, receipt of deposit $$$,
pickup of Conference materials.
Ice
Breaking.
Games
encourage the students
to meet one another.
The visit to the Bush Presidential Library is the highlight
of the first day's activities.
Each Work Group discussed,
debated, and presented solutions to complex national
contemporary issues.
The Commandant of Cadets
led the parade of a dozen
Everyone participated on Talent Night. Prizes were awarded to the Best Individual and
Best Team.
Banquet Night gives the students the opportunity to
dress up for a formal Evening
to Remember.
On Day One they were total
strangers. By Day 5 they have
become Best Friends Forever.
Distinguished Guest Speakers
DALLAS CHAPTER "IN THE NEWS"
The Chapter mourns the loss of two of our Companions in the month of July.
Both were Perpetual members and will remain on our Rolls, forever.
Honoring our Former National Commander
in Chief, Homer Schmidt
Dallas Companion Allen Clark appeared on the
Trinity Broadcast Network and was featured in a
lengthy interview, which you can see by clicking
HERE to watch the video.
Chapter Commander Emeritus Don Munson had
the pleasure of announcing the establishment of
"THE HOMER SCHMIDT MEMORIAL TRUST FUND".
Homer's wife, Diane, was present and received a
standing ovation from her adoring admirers.
The Chaplain’s Corner
Chaplain (Capt.) Dr. Weldon Estes
"Is Your Pocket Buttoned?"
Several years ago, a serviceman wrote a bit of unintended comedy he witnessed in the
army. It happened during a company inspection at Ft Benning, Georgia, the U.S. Army's
hard-nosed Infantry School.
A full colonel was conducting the inspection, and everything had gone smoothly until the
Colonel came to an obviously nervous young Private.
The colonel stopped, looked the man up and down and snapped "Button that pocket,
Soldier!" The Private, more than a little rattled, stammered, "Right now, sir?"
"Of course, right now!" was the officer's reply. The soldier very carefully reached and
buttoned the flap on the colonel's shirt pocket.
For some reason peculiar to our human nature, it is always easier to see the unbuttoned
pocket of others than to see our own.
Jesus said, "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider
the log in your own eye?" The Bible says, "Judge not, lest ye be judged." It is a principal we can all practice.
The Dallas Military Order of the World Wars
1000 Basilwood Drive
Coppell, TX 75019-6335
www.dallas-moww.org
www.moww.org
Address Service Requested
THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
2 AUGUST 1990
To Bring a Guest!!
The Iraqi army invaded and then annexed
Kuwait, claiming it was historically part of
Iraq. This resulted in Desert Shield, the
massive Allied military buildup, and later,
the
100-hour
war
against
Iraq,
Operation Desert Storm.
Texland Printing, 214-926-9058, P.O. Box 116865, Carrollton, Texas 75011