AAFES Retired Employees Association Newsletterdrink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read....

Newsletter

AAFES Retired Employees Association

Supporting the Interests of AAFES, Its Retirees and the People it Serves

October 2013

Emergency Relief Fund aids flash flood

recovery for Ft. Leonard Wood associates The AAFES Retired Employees Asso-

ciation (AREA ) activated the Emer-

gency Relief Fund on Tuesday, Sep-

tember 3, to help nine associates whose

homes were flooded by a heavy rain in

the Ft. Leonard Wood area in August.

By September 25, Exchange associates

and retirees had donated $3,150, ac-

cording to Chuck Poffenbarger, AREA

Emergency Relief fund project manag-

er. He said the check was mailed to

Fort Leonard Wood and any additional

funds that come in will be collected

and mailed at a later date.

Donations are still being received, so

anyone who wishes to can send a con-

tribution to:

AREA Emergency Relief Fund,

P.O. Box 380614,

Duncanville, TX, 75138-0614.

Please make checks payable to the AR-

EA Emergency Relief Fund, Donations

to the fund are tax deductible.

The Ft. Leonard Wood Exchange had

multiple associates impacted in differ-

ent ways due to damage and road clo-

sures.

Nine associates reported loss/damage

to belongings and homes. Of the 9 as-

sociates 6 were significantly affected

by loss due to the floods which oc-

curred from August 6-8, 2013.

Waynesville, Missouri, located outside

of Ft. Leonard Wood, received approx-

imately 16 inches of rain. The normal

average rainfall for this area for August

is about 2 inches. The large amount of

rain caused flash flooding as rivers to

swelled to a record-breaking 21 feet.

Oktoberfest in North TexasOktoberfest in North Texas

See more photos from the day, page 7See more photos from the day, page 7

Fort Dix-McGuire retirees interested in formal chapter

Retirees in the informal Fort Dix

McGuire Chapter have initiated in-

quiries into the process of becoming a

formal AREA chapter.

―The Fort Dix-McGuire AAFES retir-

ees have been meeting informally for

the past 29 years,‖ Betty J. O’Brien,

chapter president, said.

―I was asked to head the group and

with the help of Carrine Sims and

Fran Stanley, our group has grown

from 9 to 45 retirees (based on our

Sept 11th meeting). We would like to

be included with the AREA as an in-

formal charter.

―We hope to recruit more then the two

active AREA members from our

group in order to get the vote needed

to become a formal charter,‖ Betty

said. ―We are looking forwarded to

being a part of the AREA group.‖

Chuck Poffenbarger, AREA Presi-

dent, responded to the inquiry from

the prospective chapter with this mes-

sage: ―Welcome aboard. We’ll record

you as an informal chapter for the

time being, i.e., until I can get a char-

ter to you and your election for chap-

ter officers can be held.‖

Read about the Fort Dix-McGuire

chapter’s September meeting on page

9. There’s also a photo with all at-

C h u c k P o f f e n b a r g e r , P r e s i d e n t

October 2013 AREA NEW SLETTER

Welcome to the October, 2013 edition of AREA’s Newsletter, the first month of Autumn.

Potpourri Quotes One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

- Samuel Johnson

Alonso of Aragon was wont to say in commendation of age, that age

appears to be best in four things: old wood best to burn, old wine to

drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.

- Francis Bacon, 1624

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French.

Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek.

Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer.

Egyptian saying (2200 BC)

Although my neighbors are all barbarians,

And you, you are a thousand miles away,

There are always two cups on my table.

- Chinese poem, Tang Dynasty

Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love.

- Turkish Proverb

Coffee should be black as night, hot as hell, and strong as love.

- A saying from the American South

My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view.

H. Fred Ale

Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.

- Elizabeth Lawrence

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it,

and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth

seeking the successive autumns.

- George Eliot

AREA...JUST FOR YOU

Five ways to ease the stress in your life

Some stress is normal

Everyone feels stress from time to time. Some people describe it as tension or pent-up energy. Some stress is good. A

car cuts in front of you on the highway and you slam your breaks in a panic.

Stress helps you react the right way. But severe or long-term stress can cause problems. Health

research shows a link between stress and trouble controlling diabetes and asthma. Other research shows that stress can

cause heart problems and a rise in blood pressure. You may a lready know the impact stress has on sleep.

Stress management tips

The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce the stress in your life.

Here are five you may find helpful:

1. Manage your time better. Make a list of tasks you need to do first. Set

priorities, and forgive yourself when not everything’s perfect.

2. Set limits. Yes, you want to tackle that extra work project. And maybe

you made a million promises to run errands for your family. But try to end

that knots in-your-stomach feeling. Be honest about what you can realistical-

ly do.

3. Exercise. We all know how exercise can improve your health. But it can

also help you feel better by lowering your stress. Take a walk, run, golf,

swim, dance, do yoga. Just stay active. It has a calming effect. It can also

help you forget about your problems.

4. Ease your fears. Sometimes the pressure we feel is what we cause our-

selves. So ask yourself if a certain situation deserves as much stress as you

feel. Ask yourself how likely it is that’s omething you can’t handle will hap-

pen.

5. Talk to someone. Talking to someone you trust can do wonders for lower-

ing stress. It may even help you solve a problem. But talk to your doctor or

seek counseling if your stress doesn’t go away.

To learn more ways to manage stress, visit Aetna InteliHealth® at

www.intelihealth.com.

AREA NEW SLETTER October 2013

AAFES Retired

Employees Association

The AREA Newsletter is published in

January, April, July and October

Mailing Address:

AREA

P. O Box 380614

Duncanville, TX 75138-0614

President: Chuck Poffenbarger

[email protected]

Tel: (972) 296-0388

FAX: (972) 692-5176

Membership & Address Changes:

Send your NEWSLETTER ADDRESS

and MEMBERSHIP changes to the

Membership Director Pat Weaver.

[email protected]

Tel: (972) 780-9810

Newsletter input:

Submit articles for the newsletter to the

editor by e-mail to Newsletter Editor:

Larry E. Phillips

[email protected]

[email protected]

YOUR EXCHANGE BENEFITS…

Informed Health Line –

24/7 Nurse Line

If you have a health question, you can call the toll-free Informed

Health Line – 24/7 Nurse Line at 1-800-556-1555, 24 hours a day, 7

days a week and talk to registered nurses who can answer your

health-related questions and provide information you can trust. The

nurse can also help you make the right decision about where to seek

care, and can even help you find a local urgent care center or walk-

in clinic, if appropriate.



Get motivated to get moving Everyone can exercise And everyone, including you, can get big health benefits, too — like a healthy heart and weight. The hardest part is starting a program,

and sticking with it.

Tips to get moving Talk to your doctor. They can help you figure out your fitness level, and what activities are best for you.

Start slow. Easing into exercise will make it less scary. It can help you avoid injury, too.

Set goals. Try to lower your cholesterol. Or work off those last 10 pounds for your reunion.

Have fun. Mix up your workouts, or pick activities you enjoy. It’ll help you stick with it.

Plan time every day. If you’re tempted to skip a workout, remind yourself why you deserve it.

The normal heart beats about 100,000 times a day. A well-exercised one — just half of that!

Mix up your workouts There are a few different types of exercise. For the best health results, try to include these three in your workouts:

Aerobic exercise. Here, you work your heart and lungs, which then work to give your muscles oxygen. You can walk, bike, garden or

play tennis to get this type of benefit.

Resistance exercise. This is when you put more than the usual strain on your muscles to build them stronger. You can use dumbbells

or weight machines. Or even your own body weight (chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups).

Flexibility exercise. When you stretch, it helps you stand taller and make your muscles longer. It also helps your joints stay flexible,

which helps as you get older. So give a good stretch before and after you work out.

Visit the Aetna InteliHealth® website at www.intelihealth.com to find more

ways to get moving.

Have Your Prescriptions Delivered to Your Front Door!

Aetna Rx Home Delivery is a convenient and cost effective way to obtain your medications through the mail.

It is part of our medical plan’s prescription drug coverage. You can use mail order to get a 90-days supply of

your maintenance medicine by mail and, depending on the prescription, pay less than you would if you went

to your local pharmacy. This type of medicine is used regularly for conditions like arthritis, high blood pres-

sure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering the benefits of RX home delivery:

Greater supplies, lower copayments

You pay less by using this service.

Get up to a 90-day supply sent to your home or any location you choose.

Quality service

Pharmacists check all prescriptions for accuracy and can answer questions anytime, day or night.

Shipping is quick and confidential. Standard shipping is always free.

To get started with the mail service, visit Aetna Navigator at: www.aetna.com or contact Aetna Rx Home De-

livery customer care toll-free at 1-866-612-3862.



Q. I don’t want to have to log onto Aetna’s website (www.aetna.com) to find out what claims have been

paid. Is it possible to go back to having a letter sent that includes the claims?

A. When claims are paid on your behalf, Aetna sends a letter informing you that you can log onto

www.aetna.com to view the claims. Once logged on, there is a ―Claims‖ section right on the home page

where you can review all submitted, paid, and/or rejected claims aalong with an explanation for any rejected

claims. If you would prefer to received this ―Explanation of Benefits‖ by mail, you can either log onto

www.aetna.com and click ―Your Profile‖ at the very top of the page. There you can select US Mail as your

preferred method for receiving information from Aetna.

Q. I am a retired employee with Post-Retirement Medical benefits from my DoD NAF employer. Can

I drop my NAF HBP coverage and enroll a state marketplace plan? Can I re-enroll in the NAF HBP if

I decide to drop my state marketplace coverage?

A. If you’re a pre-65 retiree with NAF HBP Post-Retirement Medical Benefits you may drop your coverage

to enroll in a plan offered by your state marketplace. Based on your income you may be able to receive a tax

subsidy for insurance provided by the state marketplace insurance Please note: The health insurance market-

place does not have plans for those that are Medicare primary. If you drop your NAF HBP Post-Retirement

Medical Benefits, you will no longer receive the employer paid share of your PRM benefit. You will not be

permitted to re-enroll in the NAF HBP Post-Retirement Medical Benefits if you discontinue coverage.

Q. Is it too late to get the Health Incentive Credit for this year?

A. No, it is not too late! You can earn a total of $100 in Health Incentive Credits when you:

(a) take an online Health Risk Assessment = $50

plus

(b) get your annual routine physical exam = $50

Total: $100

As each credit is earned, Aetna will automatically apply it to the next claim’s deductible or coinsurance for

any covered family member. If you are not able to use the credit during 2013, it will roll over to the next plan

year. Credits are banked for up to three years. Start the year out right and earn your health incentive credit

now, so it can be applied to your next medical claim.

Q. Hi there- A week or so ago I had written asking for more information on the FOX news report that

AETNA was pulling out of Georgia, California, Ohio, Maryland and Connecticut and the affect this

would have on Retiree health services. We have a meeting next Monday and know this is going to be a

topic of concern. Or will this be addressed in the October AREA issue??

A. Aetna has decided not to offer new plans under the new state exchanges being set up for Health Care Re-

form. In no way does it affect our retirees and their coverage through our plans with Aetna.


CHAPTER HAPPENINGS

RETIREMENT, WHAT’S NEXT? Editor’s note: Linda Dean, in collaboration with Rich Sheff and Jerry Cloud of the North Texas Chapter, provided this

article about memberships in AREA—the national organization and the local chapters. Linda refers to NTC-AREA (or

the North Texas Chapter) several times in this article, but if you prefer to substitute the Alamo, Aloha, Golden Gate or

other AREA Chapter, go right ahead. By all means, join up and enjoy your retirement. Thanks, Linda, Rich and Jerry,

for a job well done.)

————

Retirement is one of the major goals in our lives. So now that you have reached that goal, what are you going to do to

stay busy and have fun? Join your AAFES Retired Employees Association (AREA) and your local chapter of AREA

such as the North Texas Chapter of AREA (NTC-AREA). Here’s the scoop:

To join AREA please send your annual membership check for $15 to:

AREA (ATTN: Membership Director)

P. O. Box 380614


To join NTC-AREA please send your annual membership check for $10 to:

NTC-AREA Jerry Cloud, VP Membership

1300 Arbors Court

Mansfield, TX 76063

To join your local chapter of AREA please go to http://www.shopmyexchange.com/ and at the bottom of the page under

the heading ―Community Info‖ click on Retired Employees Association then click on ―Chapters‖ to see a list of 18 ac-

tive chapters and 6 informal chapters with contact information.

The one thing that everyone misses about work is the people! It’s true what they say about the AAFES family…

AAFES associates really do become a family. We care about each other, and we enjoy each other’s company. We

worked hard during our AAFES careers, and now that we are retired we have the pleasure of joining other AAFES retir-

ees for fun and enjoyment through the AAFES Retired Employees Association (AREA), and through local chapters of

AREA.

Annual AREA dues are only $15.00 and with that you receive the quarterly newsletters that keep you up to date on all

of your retirement benefits, on interesting company changes, on the activities of the local AREA chapters, on new mem-

bers, on old members and on medical updates. You’ll want to stay in the know with the information provided in the

quarterly AREA newsletters.

You’ll also want to join your local chapter of AREA. Local AREA chapters plan fun activities for retirees living in

your area. As an example, last year the North Texas Chapter of AREA (NTC-AREA) members attended a rodeo, a Val-

entine dinner and dance, a western Caribbean cruise, an Irish festival, an Oktoberfest, a free BBQ dinner, two theater

events, a golf tournament, a Christmas dinner and gift exchange, a Christmas music event, and many different dining

adventures. The NTC-AREA has 207 members, and you can follow NTC-AREA activities on Facebook at North Texas

Chapter of AREA. Annual dues are only $10.00 or $45.00 for 5 years. There is always something fun to do, and work

doesn’t get in the way of friendships. AAFES friendships last a lifetime so make sure you stay in touch by joining

AREA and your local chapter of AREA.


Celebrating Oktoberfest

NORTH TEX CHAPTER HAPPENINGS

Thanks to Rich Sheff—see all his photos on www.facebook.com/pages/North-Texas-Chapter-of-AREA

North Texas Chapter makes annual visit to Dallas suburb of Addison for Oktoberfest


CHAPTER HAPPENINGS

Northwest Florida—In September the Northwest Florida AR-

EA retirees from AAFES met for lunch at Compass Rose Res-

taurant, just outside of Eglin AFB with 29 in attendance. Good

food, good times and great camaraderie!

—Ron Daugherty

Golden Gate Chapter—The AREA

Golden Gate Charter Day luncheon

was held at the Hilltop 1892 Restau-

rant in Novato, CA on July 20, 2013.

There were 12 members and friends

(plus Buddy) attending. Not photo-

graphed were Ernie Kodama and

Dennis Gilman.

—Ernest Kodama

Arline Gilman and Lou Vitalie Carol Beatty, Noble and Marion Emery Joan Turner, Chick Kretz and Gina Kretz

Joan Turner, Chick Kretz, Gina Kretz, Carol

Beatty and Val Grohoski Marion Grohoski and Buddy

Fort Dix McGuire Chapter Fort Dix McGuire Chapter--The Third Quarter retiree's luncheon was held at the International Buffet, Mt Hol-

ly, NJ on Sept 11, 2013. There were 45 retirees in attendance, including four first timers: Margaret and her

husband Henry Fleming, Sandra Moolchan, Joyce Carr and Fannie Anderson.

We acknowledged three of our recently retired members: Arlene Cornish, Joyce Carr and Sandra Moolchan.

There was a moment of silence for those lost during 9/11 and for our dear friends and members of AAFES family

who recently passed.

A yearly calendar of upcoming luncheon dates was distributed for planning purposes.

Betty O’Brien, President, addressed the possibility of our association becoming an official charter of the AAFES

Headquarters Retirees Association. The majority of the members agreed; however, after researching further, in

order for our Association to become a HQs charter, at least five of our current members must also be members of

the AREA. Presently we only have two of our members enrolled, we need an additional three to become an ac-

tive, formal chapter of AREA. For additional information, if you are interested, please contact Betty O’Brien.

Door prize winners were Reiko Williams, Cynthia Gittens, Marina Shook, Earl Scott and Edna Rock. Errol

Lawrence won the 50/50 of $50.

The Dix-McGuire Exchange Retirees Association is scheduled to meet on December 11, 2013.

—Carrine Simms, Secretary

Sitting in center, left to right: Sandra Moolchan, Jacqueline Suzynski, Kay Pesini, Joyce Carr, Joyce Hosey, Peggy Forcey Sitting on the outside of the table, left to right: Arlene Cornish, Cynthia Gittens, Barbara Griffin, Monika Frederick, Eloise Walters, Sarah Lawson, Julia Brown, Hattie Wisher, Edna Rock, Margaret Fleming and husband Henry, Hildegard, Kay, Ingrid Virok Standing Back Row left to right: Leroy Thompson, Robert Bryant, Errol Lawrence and wife Terry, Marri-ane Overheiser, Linda Beahm, Maxine Jackson, Yoshiko Brown, Fannie Anderson, Evelyn Sprague, Reiko Williams, Shirley Hayes, Raymond Gaskill, Marina Shook, Gerta Bachman, Earl Scott, Fran Stanley, Bernice Moran, Betty O’Brien, Hildegard Zimmerman, Ruth Jones, Carrine Simms. Missing from photo, but in attendance at luncheon: Vincent Pesini and Stanley Yankowski



COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS

T he Retired Employees Association recognizes Exchange Retirees and Associates who volunteer their time

and devote other resources, such as personal knowledge and expertise, to help improve the economic, civic and

social health of the communities where they live and work. The Community Service Review Committee, Rich-

ard Fregoe, Chairman, and members Chuck Poffenbarger, Jerry Cloud and Don Streeter reviewed the nomina-

tions and, along with the entire AREA membership, are pleased to recognize these Exchange Retirees and As-

sociates for their commitment to their communities’ well-being.

All recipients were provided with a Certificate of Appreciation and a recognition letter signed by the program director

and president, AREA. We wish to thank Watt/Spohn Universal, a leading worldwide Exchange Broker, for supporting

the Retired Employees Association through their active involvement in the Dal-

las/Fort Worth and Hampton Roads ALA chapters. Watt/Spohn Universal spe-

cializes in representing brand name manufacturers in the Power Zone, Automo-

tive, Hardware, Housewares, Sporting Goods, Stationary and Consumables categories. They have a long history of sup-

porting retiree programs. We invite you to visit them at www.wattspohn.com

COMMUNITY AWARD RECIPIENTS, Autumn, 2013

Robert Webber, Exchange Associate, Newport News, Virginia. Robert volunteers with the local Boy Scouts

and is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol. For the past 10 years he has assisted Troop 6 and Troop 13 of the Boy

Scouts. He has helped them with their camping weekends and assisted them in building a large crossover bridge at

Endview Plantation. He also helped a scout complete his Eagle project this past year.

For the past three years, Robert has also been a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He has assisted cadets with parking cars

at local events such as the Williamsburg Air Show. He sold Christmas wreaths for our fallen soldiers and also placed

these wreaths on gravesites at the Yorktown National Cemetery. He coordinated and arranged for the Civil Air Patrol

Squadron Color Guard to present the colors at the 2012 Driver of the Year ceremony held at Dan Daniel Distribution

Center. He is also trained to assist with emergency situations such as floods, hurricanes, airplane crashes and missing

people.

Zacquery Reveche Hinson, Dependent, Store Manager, Lackland AFB, Texas Zacquery is recognized for

his willingness to take every opportunity to personally help others within our community regardless of his school load.

In 2012, he worked as a luncheon volunteer every Tuesday at the San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene food bank

packaging, serving, loading trucks and storage. He also conducted the weekly inventory.

AREA Community Service Awards – Autumn, 2013


COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS

He volunteered for four years (2009 – 2012) at the Feast of Sharing, the culmination of the year-round commitment that

H-E-B makes in fighting hunger. It’s an annual H-E-B Feast of Sharing holiday dinner in 21 communities and provides

holiday meals and good cheer to 250,000 residents in Texas. The event is held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention

Center, San Antonio TX

Zacquery also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio in 2012 and 2013. Habitat for Humanity works

with low-income families who would not otherwise be able to afford a house. To date, 795 homes have been built in

partnership with families in need. By the end of 2013, 852 Habitat homes are expected in San Antonio.

Brenda S. Strickland, Exchange Associate, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma Brenda is involved in several commu-

nity service activities. Every year, she volunteers with the Shrine Circus for four days. She lost her husband to cancer a

few years ago and serves as the Treasurer for the annual Band Together Cancer Walk sponsored by Bandana Reds (a

local eatery, where she also works). The proceeds from this walk go to Ally’s House for children with cancer and to St

Anthony’s Cancer Institute for patients receiving chemo treatments to help defray the cost. She is also a member of

―Ladies of Harley‖. This group prepares annual Christmas baskets for nursing home patients to be distributed during

the holidays.

In addition, she is a member of her Cornerstone Church’s various outreach programs. They clean and repair homes and

also deliver groceries, school supplies and offer aid during the holiday season to shut-ins. And if that is not enough, she

is also Treasurer of the Tinker Exchange Employees Association!

Thomas Steiner, Store Manager JTS Shoppette, Ft. Drum, New York Since 2004 Tom has been actively

involved in Carthage Little League (CLL). He was the acting Safety Officer, which included the training of coaches and

parents on player safety, submitting the Leagues Safety manual for approval by Little League International, field and

complex surveys, rain out determinations etc. Currently he is the Umpire in Chief. He manages major league division

and coaches the minor league division in baseball. Since the last two years he schedules the umpires for the baseball

games.

David L Smith, Associate, Luke AFB Exchange, Arizona Dave has been raising awareness for Cystic Fibro-

sis for so long that his efforts, to him, are now second nature. However, if you listen to his story, these efforts are far

from second nature for the rest of us. Receiving strength and motivation from his daughter, a current cystic fibrosis pa-

tient, he has spent much of his free time volunteering annually for different events around the nation.

So far, in 2013 alone, he raised over $10,000 towards fighting the disease! This success has come from participating in

awareness events. These events have included Tempe Park Great Strides, Casa Grande Cycling for Life and Las Cruces

Walk for a Cure (getting donations based on his mileage).

In addition to the events, he has spent time campaigning with Congress and the Health and Human Services, lobbying

for federal aid for drugs and research. He also works for ongoing donations to assist with patients’ quality of life. This

includes, but not limited to, food drives, getting construction companies to assist with improving housing and getting air

purification systems donated for lower income patients who can’t afford these needed items.

AREA ...JUST FOR YOU


TRAVELING WITH LINDA AND ROY DEAN

The “Bucket List” Trip

By Linda Dean

What’s on your ―Bucket List‖? My ―Bucket List‖ is too

simple…visit the grandkids, visit the grandkids and visit

the grandkids. However, my husband, Roy, is more ad-

venturous and his ―Bucket List‖ takes us all across these

United States in our RV to visit, sightsee and experience

our beautiful country.

This year he wanted to experience 3 major events on his

―Bucket List‖, 1) The Experimental Aircraft Association

(EAA) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; 2) The Motorcycle Rally

in Sturgis, South Dakota and 3) The Balloon Fiesta in Al-

buquerque, New Mexico.

OMG! The EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association)

show in Oshkosh, WI is huge. Over 600,000 people attend

this annual event (shown on the photos with this text).

There was every size, shape and color of aircraft and most

of the visitors brought their own accommodations from

little tents to the big ―rock star‖

sized motor coaches. There were

young people, old people and a

lot of families with kids of all

ages. There was also every type

of transportation. We saw bicy-

cles, scooters, motorcycles, mo-

torized bicycles, mo-

torized skate boards,

baby carriages, wag-

ons, golf carts and

anything else you can

imagine. Of course,

there were buses that

Frequent contributor, Linda Dean, shares a summer experience that’s common

to many retirees, checking off some of the top things left to do in life on “The

Bucket List”. Linda and Roy live in Arlington, TX, and are active members of the

North Texas Chapter of AREA when they’re not on the road crossing America.

STURGIS: Motorhomes & Motorcycles


made the rounds to pick up and deliver those walking.

You would think that with such combinations there would

be all kinds of trouble, but it was all very peaceful and eve-

ryone seemed to get along and have fun. The EAA is a

wonderful annual family event.

Sturgis, SD – The 73rd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

lived up to its reputation. There were thousands of bikes

and bikers. Harley Davidson was the main attraction, but

even the ―rice cookers‖ were welcomed. We saw very

fancy bikes with wild paint jobs and loaded with chrome.

We also saw bikes with their dog carriers attached. We

even saw a biker who came all the way from Russia to at-

tend the rally (see photo on oval frame below). The aver-

age age of the bikers must be 65, and a lot of the biker

fashions would look better on a younger fit body, but that

didn’t deter them from baring it all. I never knew a t-shirt

could have so many cut-outs, and I’ve never seen so many

tattoos. No matter what the age or shape everyone was

wearing their biker gear and having a great time.

It was fun to watch it all. I think Sturgis is like Mardi

Gras… everyone should experience it at least once.

Roy was really into the airplanes and they motorcycles, but

for me the fun of traveling through TX, OK, MO, IL, WI,

MN, IA and NE is catching all the little interesting sights:

Saturday Night Sock Hop – Saw a sign in a small

Midwestern town advertising the dance. When is

the last time you saw or heard about a ―sock hop‖?

Evidently, they still exist.

Mickey Mouse Shaped Headstone – Someone had a

good sense of humor even in death. In the cemetery

there was a headstone shaped like Mickey Mouse’s

head.

Kiester Wells – I had to laugh at the name of this

town. What’s another name for Kiester Wells?

Kiester is another name for your rear end or butt

and a well is a hole in the ground. I don’t need to

go any further.

Barn Cupolas – Minnesota is beautiful (in the sum-

mer). We drove through miles of farm land with

green crops and where ever there is a cluster of

trees we saw the big red barns, a pretty home, silos

and out-buildings. Everything seems very neat and

orderly. One of the things that I notice was the cu-

polas on the barns. I’m sure there is a practical rea-

son for them, but they are so decorative. It is really

beautiful country.

Barn Quilts – In Pender, NE we noticed that in

about 80% of the homes and businesses displayed a

barn quilt. Barn quilts are unique colorful quilt pat-

terns painted on wooden boards that are typically

hung over a barn’s doors. All of the barn quilts dis-

played in the town included a smaller sign that read,

―Quilts of Pender‖. We had never seen this before

and thought it was quite charming.

After the EAA and Sturgis it was time to enjoy the scenery

through the Black Hills in South Dakota. This is beautiful

country. You can’t pass through Mitchell, SD without

STURGIS: A parade of bikers

WALL, South Dakota: Linda and Roy take a lunch break at Wall Drugs


stopping to see the Mitchell Corn Palace. Yes, we had to

stop and take pictures of this building covered in all types

of corn and corn parts. The different colors of corn formed

the pictures and the lettering on the building.

We drove the loop through the Badlands National Park. I

think the Badlands are so interesting with stacks and peaks

and colorful layers of rock. I am especially fascinated with

the texture of the rock. It is made up of mud, sand and vol-

canic ash which makes it look like petrified ash.

If you are anywhere near Wall, SD you have to stop at the

famous Wall Drugs. They still offer free ice water and a 5-

cent cup of coffee. This store covers about 2 blocks, and it

has something of everything from a restaurant, to an optical

shop. Without any doubt, it is the largest souvenir shop or

chotchkies shop that I’ve ever seen.

We’ve got more than a month before attending the Balloon

Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM, and we’re in a very interesting

part of the country. You’ll have to stay tuned for the rest of

our trip and observations in the next AREA Newsletter.

World Famous Wall Drug Store

Corn Palace The Badlands


SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS

DONORS IN MEMORY OF

Raymond Sedberry Ria Sedberry $500.00

North Texas Chapter Dick Rabb $153.00

Larry A. Grewelle Clara Stathis $50.00

DONOR AS A GENERAL DONATION

IN REMEMBRANCE

Edgar Burney, 101, died Feb 18 in San Diego, Calif. The Exchange Associate retired in 1973.

Michiye Ebara, 95, died May 10 in Granite Bay, Calif. The Golden Gate Region Associate retired in 1973.

Hiram Hardy, 91, died Feb. 26 in Little Elm, Texas. The Exchange Associate retired in 1973.

James Hill, 71, died March 25 in Madison, Ala. The Korea Area Associate retired in 1992.

Louis Jones, died April 14 in Newport News, Va. The JB Langley-Eustis Mobile Sales Associate retired in

1994.

Louis Tamberelli, 55, died April 24 in Carrollton, Texas. The Vice President of the Audit Division retired in

2012.

James Wiederkehr, 85, died April 20 in Arlington, Texas. The HQ Area Food Manager retired in 1989.

Robert Kearns, 92, died May 9 in Chino, Calif. The Korea Area Warehouse Foreman retired in 1987.

Robert Owens, 88, died May 9 in McKinney, Texas. The HQ Special Programs Associate retired in 1975.

Raymond Sedberry, 90, died May 19 in Hendersonville, N.C. The HQ Associate retired in 1973.

Claude Kenneth Hugh Hill, 88, of Carmel Valley, California died Sept. 22, 2013, at Community Hospital of

the Monterey Peninsula. He was born in Dublin, Ireland on April 4, 1925. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, three

children and three grandchildren. He was a British Royal Marine, a coach, a scoutmaster and a regional manager

for AAFES. Claude retired from AAFES after serving 30 years in England, Libya, San Francisco, Hq. AAFES

and Fort Ord, where he was regional manager at the time of his retirement in 1992. He served two terms as presi-

dent of the Monterey Bay Chapter of AREA.He enjoyed climbing mountains, camping, reading, telling jokes,

military history, playing toy soldier war games, walking the dogs and growing flowers and fruit trees.

Frederick C. ―Rick‖ Pfeiffer, 69, died in Greensboro, NC on September 14. He is survived by his wife Martha

and his three children and seven grandchildren. Rick received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Arche-

ology from Florida State University, and a lifelong Seminole fan. He spent his entire career with AAFES.

Rick’s career took him and his family across the nation and around the world. He was especially fond of his

times living in Thailand and Germany. Rick retired from AAFES in 1999.

Joe Wirtz, 88, died in August in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Read the accompanying articles on page 15.


IN REMEMBRANCE: Joe Wirtz of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Joe Wirtz, 88, died in August in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Joe was a long-time third country national executive

from Luxembourg who started his career with EES in France and held many executive level jobs in Plans and Manage-

ment and Human Resources at Hq. EES/AAFES-Europe. After retirement in Zirndorf, Germany in 1994, Joe and his wife,

Charlotte lived in Strassen, Luxembourg. Following Charlotte’s death in 2010, Joe moved to a retirement home in Luxem-

bourg City in 2011.

Many of his friends and coworkers, including Joe Palladino, John Liczbinski, Merle F. (Buddy) Harrington Jr. and Donna

Winz, from ―EES days‖ kept up with him during his retirement and asked that word of his passing away be relayed to

those who remember him from years gone by.

John Liczbinski filled in the information about Joe’s early Exchange years in France and Germany as follows: ―After sev-

eral years of service in France and due to his unusual French, German, and English language capabilities, Joe had be-

come the nominal Assistant to the GM at Fontainebleau, near Paris, France, in all matters concerning the French Area Ex-

change. On March 7, 1966, Charles DeGaulle, President of France, that France would withdraw from the NATO's military

structure with all Forces, including those of the US, having to depart by April 1, 1967. With the subsequent closure of the

France Area Exchange, Joe Wirtz was transferred to HQ European Exchange Service located in Nuernberg, Germany as

Chief, Plans and Management. The location of his new work assignment was the Palace of Justice, with his office being

one floor under the actual courtroom where German war criminals were tried for their atrocities during the years of 1945

and 46. Joe became the Chief of Staffing for all personnel in Europe up to his retirement.

Buddy Harrington, took the time to give us the back-story on Joe before he became 'the Executive' for the Exchange ser-

vice in France and it’s worth your time to read it:

J oe was, in every since of the term,

"a hero of the Grand Duchy of

Luxembourg and a loyal soldier in the

U.S. Army." He liked to use the term

Grand Duchy on his correspondence as

he was quite proud of his small coun-

try.

When the Germans invaded the Grand

Duchy of Luxembourg, their military

began rounding up all male youth of

military age and preparing them for

'forced' induction into the Wehr-

macht. The youth of Luxembourg pro-

tested and the German's responded by

rounding up 30 of them and had the

shot in mass.

Joe pointed out the actual poster in a

Luxembourg Museum that was printed

by the German Commander. It con-

tained the names of many of his

schoolmates. The surviving Luxem-

bourg boys were immediately shipped

off to the front.

Most of them ended up fighting in

Russia where the bulk of them surren-

dered and were placed in a Russian

Gulag. These poor souls were forgot-

ten after the war and weren't released

until the 1950's. By some quirk of fate,

they were discovered and released.

Very few returned home.

Joe avoided the fate of his schoolmates

by escaping to France. He used his

excellent language skills (English,

German and French) to aid the French

underground as a runner.

He was almost captured when some-

one tipped off the Gestapo of a meet-

ing held by the underground in a Paris

apartment.

The meeting room was fairly large

with a 'loft' and a ladder leading up to

it. When the Gestapo began breaking

the door down, Joe climbed the ladder

and pulled it up after himself so that no

one could reach the loft. He said he

could see the German soldiers trying to

look up to see if there was anyone up

there. They finally gave up and took

the poor underground captives away.

These people were probably immedi-

ately dispatched.

When the Allied forces landed at Nor-

mandy and fought their way to Paris,

Joe met up with the American forces

and joined an Intelligence outfit were

he served as the Commander's aide and

interpreter. He remained with the U.S.

Army intelligence unit as it fought all

the way to Munich.

Joe had great admiration for his Army

Colonel and stayed in touch with the

Colonel until he passed away. Joe also

had a great love for America and often

questioned why he didn't take the op-

portunity to immigrate to the U.S. He

knew more about America and her

history than most Americans. Up until

his passing, he was still up to date on

current events in the U.S.

Most of us who came to know Joe

Wirtz had great admiration and respect

for him as an executive, war hero and

generous friend. We'll all miss him and

his life stories.

Merle F. Harrington Jr.

Arlington, Texas


USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

The following telephone numbers are provided as a convenience to members wishing to contact certain HQ AAFES offices and the AAFES Federal Credit Union.

HQ SWITCHBOARD

(214) 312-2011

FOR RETIREMENT and GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS: HQ. AAFES BENEFIT BRANCH REPRESENTATIVES (800) 519-3381

GENERAL COUNSEL:

COLONEL ERIC E. WEISS, USAF (214) 312-3126

EXCHANGE POST: BARBARA KIRSCH (214) 312 3831

SALES TABLOIDS: DEBBIE BYERLY (800) 733-5142

ID CARD, PRIVILEGES

HR-L/H Servicing Personnel Office (214) 312-3330 ID Cards issued Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:30-10 a.m.

AAFES FEDERAL CREDIT UNION: TOLL FREE SERVICE NORTH AMERICA (800) 452-7333

UNITED KINGDOM 0800-89-7490 GERMANY 0130-81-1187

FOR OTHERS NOT LISTED: PAT WEAVER (972) 780-9810

For other information, check out the AAFES website at: http://www.shopmyexchange.com and the AREA website http://www.shopmyexchange.com/community/area


AREA SCHOLARSHIP FUND DONATION FORM

To: AREA P.O. Box 380614 Duncanville, TX 75318-0614

From: Telephone

This donation is (check one box below)

In Honor of (Name)

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An Annual Pledge*

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NAME

ADDRESS

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Amount of donation (check enclosed)

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* I wish to pledge $_________________ each year to the AREA Scholarship Fund. My donation for the current year is enclosed.

Your donation will be acknowledged to both the donor and to the recipient or the survivor. All donations are income tax deductible.

DONOR NAME (Printed) SIGNATURE

COMMENTS:

Enclosure # 6-1

75138-0614

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*IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO LIST, USE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW

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AREA MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY UPDATES

New Members ARENTZ, GARY 1558 WOODBRIDGE CT. STEAMBOAT CO 80487 214-288-7217 [email protected] CLARK, MONA 809 VINCE LANE DESOTO TX 75115 972-223-7874 [email protected] DROSTE, DALE 222 PPATRICK PIKE RD FERRIS TX 75125 469-275-6022 [email protected] FERREYA, JOE 2747 PARK PLACE DR GRAND PRAIRIE TX 75052 913-475-3498 [email protected] TEIJEIRO, THELMA 227-A KARSTEN DR WAHIAWA HI 96786 808-621-7233 TOMES, CONNIE 1656 COOKS CORNER RD POTTSBORO TX 75076 903-786-3702 [email protected] SCRIVEN, DAVID AUF DIEM FRONGRUND 27 64807 DIEBURG, 049-6071-21117 [email protected] MAYS, DOROTHY 4952 CLARON DR COLUMBUS GA 706-341-0914 [email protected]

Address Changes

HESLIN, MARY 88 S. GRANT AVE YORK NE 68467 402-363-0090

JONES, LOUIS

40 JOHNSON LN NEWPORT NEWS VA 23608 757-877-8559 PALLADINO, JOSEPH 25755 LAKE AMELIA WAY BONITA SPRINGS FL 34135 406-381-8049 [email protected] TALLEY, DAVID 13312 GEORGETOWN DR SOUTH PRINCE VA 23805 804-862-4744 [email protected] UYESHIMA, TAIKYO 111 W. 3RD AVE. # 307 SAN MATEO CA 94402 303-758-1264

Email Changes BETTS, GILBERT 117 ELLEN LN TRINIDAD TX 75163 903-778-2423 [email protected] BOLLES, GEORGE 6070 DANA CIR MAGALIA CA 95954 530-873-6213 [email protected]

COHOON, LESLIE 110 SEMINOLE COVE E LAKE KIOWA TX 76240 940-665-1640 [email protected] FOSTER, JANET 2609 BLUE QUAIL DR ARLINGTON TX 76017 817-360-9495 [email protected]

GATTINELLA, RAY 230 WAIAKOA RD KULA HI 96790 808-878-2143 [email protected] JEFFREYS, LEAH JOYCE 1235 COUNTRY BEND DR KAUFMAN TX 75142 972-932-3661 [email protected] KANE, MARCIA 24008 OAKSHADOW WHITNEY TX 76692 817-528-3596 [email protected] MARKWICA, JOHANN WEIHERWEG 2 LEESVILLE LA 71446 337-239-7409 MARSHALL, HARRY 33 FAISAN WAY HOT SPRINGS AR 71909 501-922-6171 [email protected] WILSON, JERRY 125 LYNN RICH DR ALVATON KY 42122 904-229-7338 [email protected]

Telephone Changes WILSON, JERRY 1340 ALROSE LN SPC 37 REDDING CA 96002 530-226-9637 [email protected] GRZYBOWSKI, CYNTHIA 6968 MOONTOWN DR EAST APPLING GA 30802 706-541-1383 [email protected]

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AAFES Retired Employees Association

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your $15 for the next year PAYABLE to AREA at the mailing address shown above. Thank you for keeping your membership up to date.

AAFES Retired Employees Assn

P.O. Box 380614


Bill McQueen raises his glass of real

Bavarian Oktoberfest beer in a toast at

the Addison Oktoberfest, where mem-

bers of the North Texas Chapter of

AREA joined in the Dallas-area celebra-

tion. See more photos on page 7.

AAFES Retired Employees Association Newsletterdrink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read....

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Transcript of AAFES Retired Employees Association Newsletterdrink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read....