President Phil Briscoe, Captain USN (Ret), and Chapter members were invited to participate in the ORMA Cadet Awards Day ceremonies as guests of member Jim, Maj. USA (Ret) and Kay Savage.

Upon completion of the promotional awards, Phil and the Corp Commander Trooped the Line.

At the MOAA National Leadership Workshop, President Briscoe had the privilege of accepting three awards for the chapter:

The 5 STAR Level of Excellence Award, thanks to all chapter volunteers for their contribution to our receipt of this award

The 5 Star Col Marvin J. Harris Communications Award with credit due to our Newsletter Editor LtCol Greg M. Chase, USAF (Ret).

The 5 Star Col Marvin J. Harris Communications Award for our Website, with credit due to our Webmaster LCDR Thomas B. Denegre III, USNR.

This was our awards night when we present Scholarship awards to most deserving junior military cadets to assist their entry to college level academics.

Our scholarship awardee, was Abigale Swartzlander, Battalion Commander from East Forsyth High School and along with an arm’s length list of volunteer efforts has a grade point average that is off the chart. Our other awardee, Nicola Rush from North

Davidson High School, was presented her scholarship award by Al Chandler at her Battalion Awards ceremony.

Following the meeting we received the following letter:

"I am writing to thank you for the scholarship and for the opportunity to attend the MOAA dinner last week. I enjoyed having the privilege to meet and fellowship with the members and appreciated the warm welcome my parents, instructors, and I received. This scholarship will help me pursue my degree at Lee University, and I appreciate your generosity.

Best Regards.

Abigale Swartzlander"

In April Al Chandler had presented our Scholarship to Wake Forest University Air Force ROTC Cadet Tincher.

President Biscoe presented chapter donations to Jackie Kohler for the TRIAD Honor Flight and Lewis Pleasants for the Marine Corps League Mud Run.

This was our awards night when we present Scholarship awards to most deserving junior military cadets to assist their entry to college level academics. A new record of 81 people attended the dinner.

Awardees were:

Cadet MaKayla Beard, Brigadier Command Sergeant Major for Forsyth county, attending Mount Tabor High-school. . Student Body President, Member of National Honor society including NHS Science, Spanish, Math and English. Plans are to attend UNC Chapel Hill

Cadet Miles Akers, Four years of JROTC at North Davidson High-school attaining rank of Colonel. Member of National Honor Society. Plans are to attend UNC Chapel Hill

This is our JROTC Scholarship Awards Night. Always a very special treat for our membership to meet these bright aspiring Cadets as they move up into their College Years.

This years recipients were: Jaydeliz Paola Rivera Matos and Leah Katherine Waddell, Both highly qualified and with most impressive resumes which can be seen in the download menu below.

Jaydeliz is off to Old Dominion University with long term plans to becoming a Medical Doctor. Leah is off to Appalachian State University for a BA in Criminal Justice and long terms plans to enter service with the NC State Bureau of Investigation.

Chapter Assistant Jacqueline Kohler has recently completed the necessary training from MOAA national to be a surviving spouse liaison.

Furthermore, she was also one of six female veterans recently honored during the fifth annual Outstanding Combat Female Veterans of North Carolina Ceremony Program.

Jacqueline Kohler, Army, served in the Afghanistan war and now volunteers with Triad Honor Flight group that takes area veterans to Washington, D.C.

State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Walter Gaskin said that female veterans “have stood shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts.”

Women have served in or near combat settings dating back to the American Revolution, according to Combat Female Veterans Families United. But the involvement escalated from the middle of the 20th century during World War II to the present day. Approximately 7,000 women were deployed to serve in the Vietnam War, more than 40,000 served in combat zones during the Persian Gulf War and an estimated 150,000 women were deployed to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars from 2001-12, Combat Female Veterans Families United reports.

Women now account for 15% of active service members in the U.S. military.

Heartiest congratulations to member Captain Laurie Wesley for her recognition in the MOAA Newsletter for her voluntary services aboard the Hospital Ship in Africa Mercy.

The full story of her time there in company with her late husband can be found at the link below.

"If there is anything I can do, I am ready to volunteer. I wanted to be a soldier, and I was a soldier".

His own words say it all.

Purple Heart Recipient, and long time member of the Chapter, Lt. Colonel Dave Cone, USA, Retired, was awarded the first Emeritus Membership ever given by the Chapter, in recognition of his long service on active duty and to our own Chapter, most recently as head of the Scholarship Committee.

President Greg Chase and Vina doing what they do best.

On May 14, 2019, the Tarheel Central Chapter MOAA awarded their annual $1500 scholarships to the two JROTC selectees for this year. Awards were presented by I.B. Southerland Maj, USAF (Ret): Scholarship Program Chair of our chapter.

This years recipients were:

Overall Group Commander Cadet Cilia Mariela Espinoza-Roman, Surry Central High School, USAFJROTC

A leading academic student all her four years in JROTC she graduates with a 4.018 GPA, she is the most decorated cadet in her High School's history with activities ranging from rocketry to Salvation Army drives, Surry County food drives, Color Guard and, most impressively, recipient of three National competitive awards for leadership, academic performance, community service, personal appearance, behavior and attendance.

Cadet Commander LTC Missy Duentes-Delgado, Elkin High School, USAJROTC

An outstanding academic student with a 4.52 GPA, she has been active in local and shcool activities such as soccer, cross country and annual Red Cross blood drives. She is destined to attend Stanford University upon graduation.

Each recipient was accompanied by their parents and JROTC representatives from their schools.

First Recipient:

Derrik Mahlon Brown of Thurmon, NC

- Surry Central High School – Graduating June 2016

- Will attend NC State in the fall

- He is planning to get a degree in either Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

- DOB: September 8, 1998

- Parents: Ms. Regina Brown

- AFJROTC for 4 years: unit under the command of LtCol Brian O’Connell, USAF

- Cadet of the Year (Level I & II) 2013 & 2014

- Top AFJROTC Performer – 2015

- AFJROTC Group Commander

- Color Guard Commander

- Raiders Commander

- Kitty Hawk Air Honor Society Commander

- President National Honors Society

- President of the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society

- Quiz Bowl Team Member

- National Technical Honor Society Member

- Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society

- GPA (unweighted) 3.86

Second Recipient:

Samuel Jonas George of Siloam, NC

- East Surry High School – Graduate June 10, 2016

- DOB: May 7, 1998

- Parents: Jack and Vickie George

- UNC Charlotte: Mechanical Engineering, Army ROTC

- Awarded 3 year ROTC National Scholarship at UNCC

- JROTC – 4 years unit under the command of 1stSgt Ronald Montgomery, USA, Retired

- Best 1st Year JROTC Student – 2013

- Senior Patrol leader in JROTC

- JROTC Platoon Sergeant

- Command Sergeant Major

- Battalion Commander

- JROTC Raiders Team member

- Very active in the yearly can food drives with different organizations

- Part of planning & execution of 8 American red cross blood drives

- Various fund raisers to help veterans

- Other charity fund raisers for local students with cancer.

- Eagle Scout in 2013

- Best 1st year scout in 2009

- Assistant Senior patrol leader in Boy Scouts

- Academic and leadership Quiz Bowl team captain

- Member of the National Honors Society

- Member of the National Technical Honor Society

- Cross Country team member

- GPA (Unweighted) 3.72

On April 28, 2012 at the annual Military Dance for the Davie High JROTC program, the Tarheel Central Chapter's CDR Dennis Lennon, USN (Ret.) presented the National MOAA Leadership Medal to Cadet Capt. William Priestley. Open the thumbnail photographs to the right which has CAPT Hank Wade, USN (Ret.) assisting in the presentation. Additionally, our own chapter member, Capt. Joe Clarey of the NC Purple Heart Association presented a Medal as well to another cadet.