Greetings Eagle Chapter Members and Friends | |
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In the above photo, Eagle Chapter Chairman was extremely honored to be joined by some very special guests to lay the Eagle Chapter wreath at the Military Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, November 11, 2023. Please see the article below.
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Again -thanks for your continuing support! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! | |
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Very respectfully,
//Lee//
Elia C. (Lee) Chambers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Eagle Chapter Air Force Security Forces Association
P. O. Box 10501
Burke, Virginia 22009-0501
Email: chairman@afspaeagle.com | C: 571-302-0992
We published our previous newsletter on November 11, 2023. Click here to go to our Resources page on our website to see all of our previous newsletters.
Eagle Chapter AF Security Forces Association membership is FREE to all AF Security Forces Association members who work or live in DC, DE, MD, VA, and WV. Email me for more information.
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Our First Ever - A Dual Military Service (Air Force and Army) Wreath Laying at the Women's Memorial on Veterans Day | |
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Eagle Proud Warrior Airman and Member - Senior Airman Jonvenette Suriel-Jackson leads Wreath Laying in Veterans Day Ceremony at the Military Womens Memorial
When I asked her to be our guest in laying the Eagle Chapter wreath on Veterans Day, I never knew she'd exceed my expectations! Dressed to the nines - she invited a colleague (Army Staff Sergeant Marieme Wane) from the Washington DC office of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), where she works - also a disabled veteran, to attend. I saw an opportunity - ask them both to lay the wreath and they were both very glad to do so. Airman Suriel-Jackson's mom, Julissa Suriel, also came down to attend. Mom lives in the Bronx NY City NY.
In the photo below, our guests pose with Maj Gen (Ret) Edmunds, Board Chair, Military Women's Memorial, following the program. As the longest serving wreath presenter, Eagle Chapter leads the program for all wreath laying presenters. Thanks again our guests and especially our donors who enable us to respond to the increasing costs of wreaths.
For more photos, see our Veterans Day page on our website.
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TJ - A Former Joint Base Anacostia Bolling Air Force Base Washington DC Senior Airman Also Recognized at Veterans Day
While the Military Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery is a key focus, it is not our only focus on Veterans Day. Thanks to Eagle Chapter Vice Chairman Tidewater Wing, Kathy Wojciechowski, who visited Airman Terrence J. (TJ) Richardson's internment site at the Phoebus National Cemetery near Joint Base Langley-Eustis VA.
The 11th SFS then at Bolling, deployed "TJ" to Iraq over 13 years ago when he was medically evacuated back home to attend to a rare form of cancer. See Chief Master Sergeant Paul Zidack's request below. Chief Z was then the HQ USAF Career Field Manager/Senior Enlisted Advisor. See his email below.
The photos below show two of our visits (one by Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Saltamachia "Chief Salty" then Bolling's Senior Enlisted Leader, and the other by then Vice Chair Tidewater Wing, Bill Scouten) to him and his family prior to his death to provide $5,000.00 to aid the family in travel to Boston for TJ's care. Thanks Kathy!
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Above, Eagle Vice Chairman Delaware Wing, Dennis Eberly, along with Eagle Chairman and DE members donate Eagle Chapter's check to the 436th SFS Defenders Association President, Staff Sergeant Brandon Trapani, also the Military Working Dog Liaison for HQ Air Mobility Command, plus Senior Airman Kyra Felty, Defenders Association Treasurer/Armorer plus others at Mission BBQ Dover. | |
Eagle Presents Check 436th SFS Booster Club At Informal Lunch at Mission BBQ Dover | |
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We had not made a presentation to Dover since the pandemic. Every time, we proposed dates to get something going - it just would not work. Our Defenders are so very busy.
So, Dennis, Vice Chair DE Wing, and I decided - lets just meet at a diner off base and see who can attend. Plus, we asked the 436th SFS First Sgt, Master Sergeant Andrew Kelp to see if he can have the President of their booster club (plus any others that can attend) as our guest so we can make a presentation. Of course, what's a get together in Dover without our awesome AFSFA members! Though last minute we asked and much thanks to 89-year-old Al Smith (above at left) and Bill Korn (2d from left) for making this event extra special.
See more photos on our website by clicking here. Thanks to all of our defenders. MSgt Forrest George, formerly section chief of Defender Training is now TALN Chief - Tactics and Leadership Nexus (TALN) Course Chief. Click here for an AF article about the TALN mission. We learned a new term as well. See our website for more photos.
Our thanks to Kristen Giordano, Community Ambassador, Mission BBQ Dover, for free sandwich coupons that she gave us at the event.
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Kathy, Vice Chair Tidewater Wing (Langley VA area) Presents Eagle's Gift to Joint Base Langley-Eustis VA | |
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Wednesday, November 29, 2023, USAF Master Sergeant Retired Kathy Wojciechowski, Vice Chair Tidewater Wing, Eagle Chapter, Air Force Security Forces Association, presented the 633 SFS/CC with a token of our Eagle Chapter appreciation for their upcoming 8 December Holiday Party. The check was presented on behalf of the 633d Defenders Council to Lt Col Joshua Frizzell, Commander 633 Security Forces Squadron, Joint Base Langley Eustis VA with the Acting Senior Enlisted Leader, SMSgt Giselle Janousek, and the Defenders Council Secretary, SSgt Isaac Morrow, attending.
Click here or the photo above to see a video of the event.
Thank-you so much 633d and Kathy!
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• Eagle Chapter NLEOM Watch Desk •
With just a few days left before all packages are due, Eagle Chapter's NLEOM Committee takes on a different ops tempo as we aid commanders and unit project managers to submit all packages to the National LE Officers Memorial (NLEOM) in Washington DC before the end of December.
USAF Iraqi Police Transition Team Member - SSgt John T. Self - End of Watch 5/14/2007 - Becomes the 2d Package Submitted So Far
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USAF Defender: Airman Trinity Reinhart Added to the Chapter's 2023 National LE Officers Memorial List
Thanks to Major Brian Tuttle, Commander 90th Security Forces Squadron (SFS) FE Warren WY for quickly appointing Tech Sgt Jordan Ragan and TSgt Kyle Jenkins to lead our effort to have Airman Reinhart recognized by NLEOM in Washington DC. They have already attended a kick-off meeting with me and are getting it done! Airman Reinhart's end of watch was September 16, 2023. Click here for more information.
Also thanks to TSgt Jeremy Allen, 19th SFS Little Rock AFB Arkansas who, this month, stepped in to complete and submit the NLEOM package for SSgt John T. Self when the primary, TSgt Shane Miller, became engaged on another project.
Airman Reinhart is the third Defender so far this year that we should be submitting - two have already been submitted. By the end of the year, we could have at least three more giving us the largest annual submission ever. These final three (Husky, Holmes, and Heitkamp) died while providing missile security in an Ellsworth AFB SD Huey crash in the 80s. We're also tracking a second Humvee roll-over death that occurred this year.
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Pentagon Police Department and 131 Federal, State, County, and Local Police Agency Attendees Sign Up for Traumas of Law Enforcement Training | |
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The Pentagon Police Department is the only registered DOD attendee. While the FBI, FBI National Academy, Secret Service, Secret Service Uniform Division, Customs and Border Protection, ICE, US Capitol Police, plus state, county, and other federal and local police agencies overwhelmingly sign up for the course originally planning for 120 attendees.
With my attendance in the course, I can do a better job of getting the word to our Defenders when the course returns to the DC area.
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Eagle Chapter will provide refreshments (coffee, tea, and pastries prepared by the Hilton Hotel) for the three-day event. | |
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Again, thanks to our very generous Eagle Chapter member who picked up the tab for this event.
The course pledges to provide the following benefits:
1. How an agency's response to tragedy directly affects the level of distress of their officers and surviving family members.
2. How an officer can successfully navigate the cumulative stress caused by experiencing critical incidents throughout a law enforcement career and how their agency can assist with this.
3. The warning signs and symptoms of police suicide.
4. How an individual officer's pre-planning may directly affect the public safety officer benefit (PSOB) their family may receive in the event of their line-of-duty death.
Registration is CLOSED.
Click here for the agenda.
Thanks to Julie Stecco, Vice President VA COPS and Amy Wendell, VA COPS Chapter Secretary, both survivors, for bringing this opportunity to our attention.
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A hearty welcome back to the Honorable William (Bill) Davidson! In the photo above, Bill, in the white Eagle Chapter hat, was the guest speaker at our first anniversary luncheon in 2004 held in Chantilly VA. In the above photo, Bill poses with Andrews Air Force Base MD Airmen, Eagle Chairman, and Eugene C. "Chip" Schram, then Vice Chair Shenandoah Wing (Western VA), now deceased. At the time, Bill, a retired Colonel OSI agent, was the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. He was the highest ranking (SES-3) Senior Executive Service employee in the Department of the Air Force. Now in retirement, Bill became one of our association's life members and we'd lost his contact information.
Thanks to former HQ Air Force Director of Security Forces, Brig Gen (Retired) James (Jim) Shamess for helping us to reconnect. Bill (Sir) - again glad to have you back!
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Thanks to Our
Military Service and Corporate Donors
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American Legion Synepuxent Post 166
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BlinkinCo
Program Mgmt - Vulnerability Assessments - Insider Threat
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Transaction Expert
Point of Sale/Merchant Services
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Micron Technology Inc.
Dr. Delbert Parks announced at the luncheon - "We're Hiring!" See their website for more information.
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Thanks to our member and supporter donors TOO! While I appreciate the corporate and military service organization donations, our chapter members and supporters keep the lights on (so to speak), the post office box open, the web site operating, and this newsletter cost plus other expenses to enable us to serve.
Thanks for your kind consideration.
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Nice Christmas Gifts
Eagle Proud Warrior Coin/Eagle Chapter Coin Plenty Still Available
Your purchase of Eagle Proud Warrior Coin Aid Us to Support Ill and Wounded SF Airman Med-Evaced to Walter Reed Bethesda
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Our Eagle Proud Warrior Coin - a gold brass, 3-D finish and the Eagle Chapter Coin, also gold brass finish (above), 'planted' on a Washington DC cherry tree during a Cherry Blossom Festival - both are available at the same price. Smaller Eagle Chapter coin image above shows the rear of the coin. The current Eagle Chapter Coin does show Air Force Security Forces Association.
The donation prices for both coins are $12.00 donation each plus shipping/handling. Can be shipped just in time for Christmas!
Example:
1 coin + shipping ($6.50) is $18.50.
2 coins + shipping is $30.50.
3 coins + shipping is $42.50.
4 coins + shipping is $56.50.
Contact Eric, our Eagle Exchange Manager, for more information.
Please send a check or money order to our PO Box. See below or go online and pay via secure PayPal. Click here to go there now. PayPal charges just under 4% fee. An example of an online donor sends $100.00, we pay the $3.38 cents PayPal fee, and the donor gets to expense the excess (less the coin(s) cost) for tax purposes should he/she chooses to do so. Our receipt provides the details. See your tax expert.
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Your Eagle Chapter Board Meets Online December 13 at 2000 - and you're invited!
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Our chapter board meetings are open to all members. Contact Rachel, our Chapter Secretary if you want to attend. She will provide the meeting call in information and previous meeting minutes and documents we'll review for this meeting.
Your board meets the second Wednesdays of the month at 2000/800PM. This will be our final board meeting for 2023.
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Virginia Grand Military Band Concert
Again - free tickets ($25.00 value) for the upcoming concert. Unless you contact me by phone today, it may be tough. Give it a shot if interested.
Attendees are busloads of mostly seniors and others from military retired communities like Falcons Landing - AF Retired Officers Community. I help as a volunteer usher. Ladies volunteering to help other senior ladies just goes over well. If you can make a future event, let me know that you're interested, and I'll keep you posted as these come up. You don't have to volunteer to be an usher to attend.
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My thanks again to Jerry Nelson, President Emeritus (at left) and Larry Fleming (at right) current President Vietnam Security Police Association during their presentation of the Warriors Medal of Valor, Native Americans Nations of the USA to me at the Charleston VSPA Annual Reunion. Very proud to wear this medal as you can see during the Dover presentation above.
Other Upcoming Events
• December 8, 2023 - 633d SFS Holiday Party (formal attire) 633d SFS. Kathy and I both are previously engaged. If you can attend for us - no cost - please let me know soonest so we can let the unit know.
• December 15, 2023 - The Pentagon - the HQ USAF Directorate of Security Forces A4S Exec Lt Col Amber Goodwin hosts us for an Eagle Chapter meet and greet. Area Vice Chairs can't squeeze this event into their calendars, I'm opening it to any Eagle Chapter Member. If you can attend our Pentagon meet and greet at 1100, let's make a day of it with a tour of the Pentagon. Contact me by December 8th if interested. So far, Eagle Member and VSPA Member Willie Squires is attending with me.
• December 18, 2023 - Chairman's Annual Christmas Visit Arlington National Cemetery. The US Army has approved my annual drive on visit to the 25 Defenders, Members, and Spouses laid to rest at Arlington.
• January 9, 2024 Law Enforcement Appreciation Day - Only formal plan now is Langley. Kathy and I will be there kicking things off at 1300. All invited. Let us know if we are to expect you. Events are in discussion for Bolling and Dover.
Donation. Please click here to donate via our PayPal account. Your donations, in any amount, generate the fuel that allows us to serve our SF Airmen, families, and our military heritage. Alternatively, you can send your checks or money order to our PO Box. Consider giving a few dollars a month if that works better in your budget. Eagle Chapter is an IRS-approved 501(C)(19) Veterans Service Non-Profit Organization.
In closing, we could use more help on our board. Just about everything can be done from the comfort of your living room via laptop, computer, and/or phone. Please contact me if you can spare a few minutes a week or so. I'll discuss all of our vacancies with you.
Take care of each other! I look forward to seeing you at an Eagle Chapter event. If I don't see you before Christmas - have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Very respectfully,
//Lee//
E. C. Lee Chambers
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
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