By
Alfonso Garcia
In 1978, the military personnel office staff in
Washington in their infinite wisdom decided to assign me as a Public
Affairs Officer to Southern Command, Panama. Their rationale was that I
was fluent in Spanish and had the appropriate rank to fill the position.
This occurred after the Carter/Torrijos Agreement to return the Panama
Canal to Panamanian control. I was hurriedly sent to the Defense
Information School at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, where I was
classified as a qualified public information officer and on to Panama.
During the briefings at the Pentagon I was led to believe that I would be
one of the “spokes persons” for Southern Command. I envisioned making
national and international TV, radio, and newspapers, etc. Instead, I was
assigned to the 193 Infantry Brigade as the Public Affairs Officer (PAO)
and my Spanish language capability was put aside. I was now a “dog face”
wearing jungle fatigues.
As
the PAO, my office was given the mission of educating the employees of the
Panama Canal Company (Zonies) that the US Army would provide the entire
community infrastructure needed to make their living pleasant. These folks
had had their own way in the Canal Zone for 75 years. They had their own
city with all the normal facilities, i.e. courts, police, grocery stores,
gasoline stations, churches, etc. As off, October 15 1979 all that would
come to an end and they would then have to shop in the PX and Commissary.
The MP’s would their police force and their hospital would henceforth be
staffed by military personnel. This was a very trying time for these
folks. Then there was the fear that the Panamanian folks would come into
their homes and take over. They worried that their “way of life” was
going to go to pot.
The Military brought in a TV station, first in Panama.
It transmitted to the Canal Zone as well as into Panama City. The
programming format included many of the stateside shows with some
commercials but the main emphasis was to advertise the truths about the
military’s ability to provide the needed services to all Americans. We
established a speaking bureau and send our officers and leaders to town
meetings and explained our capabilities. My office published a weekly
newspaper named THE BANNER which carried feature stories with the same
theme. I feel that when the time came for the Zonies to buy their supplies
from military facilities they were well satisfied and watched as the
Panama Canal Company transitioned into a company headed by a retired
military major general instead of a civilian. It was hard for them to
imagine adapting to the military system of doing things but they seemed
content with it all within a few months after the implementation of the
Treaty.
While I was in Panama I was fortunate to meet some
interesting and important people. I met the infamous Bgen Omar Torrijos,
dictator of Panama for many years, co-author with President Carter of the
Panama Canal Agreements. LtCol Manuel Noriega, Intelligence Officer for
the Panama National Guard who later over threw the elected government and
declared himself their president, later captured by US forces and now in
prison in Florida. Vice President Mondale came to Panama to officiate at
the Treaty implementation ceremonies of October 15, 1979. Joe DiMaggio and
Chichi Rodrigues who came to Panama to play in a US military/Panama Canal
Company ProAm/fun golf tournament I met numerous TV anchor personalities
that are still active on the major network systems. All this is nice to
think about one a cold winter night by the fireplace.
While in Panama my family and I enjoyed the beaches,
fishing, good food, and mingling with the natives. It was a satisfying
tour of duty but we were happy to return to the good ole US of A to
retire.
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Amy O’Neal, the local coordinator of the Court
Appointed Special Advocate program and our guest speaker during the last
general membership meeting answered this title question. The following is
a recap of the information she provided to the membership.
All
children have a right to a home with loving people to care for them. But
each year in the United States, millions of children are abused, neglected
or abandoned by their families. Over 430,000 of them are removed from
their homes and placed in foster care or institutions. Eventually, they
end up in court. Their only “crime” is that they have been victims. It
is up to a judge to decide their future. Should they remain in foster
care? Be reunited with parents? Or be adopted? In these cases, many
children also become victims a second time, lost in an overburdened child
welfare system that cannot pay close attention to each child whose life is
in its hands. Sometimes a child can remain adrift in foster care for
months, even years. That’s where CASA comes in. CASA volunteers are
Court Appointed Special Advocates for children - trained community
volunteers appointed by a judge to speak up for abused and neglected
children in court.
Are you a mature, responsible adult? Can you talk to
people who are having problems? Do you have time to commit? Do you care
about children? If you answer “yes,” then you may qualify to be a CASA
volunteer. CASA volunteers come from all walks of life. They have a
variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds. No special
experience is required. Volunteers are selected on the basis of their
objectivity, competence and commitment. Once accepted, volunteers are
trained. They learn about courtroom procedure, the social service and
juvenile court systems, and the special needs of children who have been
abused and neglected. It takes about 10 to 15 hours a month to be a CASA
volunteer. It’s hard work, and very gratifying. If you are interested,
contact your local CASA program or the National CASA Association.
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By
Larry Brewer
This is TROA's legislative update for Friday, February
2, 2001.
Issue 1: Rep. Murtha Offers Pay Raise Bill. Rep. John
Murtha (D-PA) has introduced legislation, H.R. 244, calling for a 7.3% pay
raise for active duty, Reserve and Guard personnel on Jan 1, 2002.
Issue 2: DoD Pharmacy Mailing Delayed. Defense
Department health officials say the Pentagon mailings to Medicare-eligibles
about the new TRICARE Senior Pharmacy program (TSRx) will be going out in
mid-February (rather than by the end of January, as indicated earlier).
Issue 3: Reid, Hutchinson Seek Concurrent Receipt
Support. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-AR) have
written Budget Committee leaders requesting budget "headroom" to
authorize qualifying disabled retirees to receive both uniformed services
retired pay and veterans disability compensation.
MEDICARE General Enrollment Period
If you are eligible for MEDICARE Medial Insurance (Part
B), but haven't signed up, you can do so during MEDICARE's annual
enrollment period until March 31, 2001. As long as you sign up by this
date, your coverage will begin on July 1, 2001. MEDICARE Part B helps pay
for doctor's visits, outpatient hospital treatment, and other medical
services and supplies not covered by MEDICARE Part A. The cost for the
Part B premium is $50 a month for 2001. Beneficiaries with MEDICARE Part A
who originally decided not to sign up for Part B when they first became
eligible for MEDICARE can now take advantage of this opportunity (there is
an additional 10 percent added to the premium for each year of prior
eligibility). Also, anyone who had MEDICARE Part B at one time, but
dropped out, can now re-enroll.
If you are interested in enrolling in MEDICARE, call
Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or contact your local Social Security
office.
Enrollment in MEDICARE Part B is critical to being
eligible for the TRICARE For Life Program that begins October 1, 2001 and
the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program (TSRx) that begins on April 1, 2001
(MEDICARE Part B enrollment for the TSRx eligibles is required only for
those who reach age 65 April 1, 2001 or later).
For those who reach age 65 after the dates noted above
will automatically be enrolled in MEDICARE Parts A and B when they reach
age 65 if they are receiving Social Security cash benefits. If not
receiving Social Security cash benefits at age 65 steps should be taken to
enroll in MEDICARE Parts B approximately three months prior to the 65th
birthday. This can be done by calling 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting your
local Social Security office.
DoD Establishes Pharmacy Call Center
A toll-free telephone line was established this week to
answer questions retirees may have about the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy (TSRx)
benefit that becomes operational April 1, 2001.
The DoD call center at 1-877-DOD-MEDS (1-877-363-6337)
is operational from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday , Eastern
Time, (except holidays).
Approximately 1.4 million Medicare eligible uniformed
services beneficiaries will qualify for the program, which gives them the
same pharmacy benefit as retirees who are under age 65. It includes access
to prescription drugs not only at military treatment facilities, but also
at retail pharmacies and through the DoD National Mail Order Pharmacy.
A letter explaining the program is scheduled to be sent
out to eligible beneficiaries in early February. Basically, the rules are
that individuals otherwise eligible for the program who turn 65 prior to
April 1, 2001 qualify for the benefit whether or not they purchase
Medicare Part B. However, the law mandates that those otherwise eligible
and who turn 65 on or after that date must be enrolled in Medicare Part B
to receive the TRICARE pharmacy benefits.
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Al Garcia was born in the little town or village of
Taos, NM after the Great Depression. He was a child during WWII. His
heroes, while he attended elementary school, were the soldiers fighting
that war. Especially his four uncles who served during that war. His
ambition was to be a soldier. The Korean War came at us when he entered
high school and right after graduation he joined he Army. The war ended as
he finished basic training. Naturally, he did not go to Korea; but went to
Thule, Greenland instead. He loved the military, but not the enlisted pay.
He mustered out and went to NM Highlands University where he earned a BA
degree in Business Administration.
While attending the university he joined the NM
National Guard and in August of 1960 he was commissioned a 2nd
lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch. The Vietnam War was beginning to
raise its ugly head and the US government was getting involved. By 1962,
military advisors were being sent to that part of the world. So, he
decided that it was time for him to volunteer and join the ranks of the
full time soldiers. He was accepted for a two-year tour.
Al
participated in the “big buildup” of 1965. He was a member of a Hawk
Guided Missile Group that deployed to Vietnam to provide short-range air
defense to vital us installations. We traveled with all our equipment and
set up shop in Cam Ranh Bay with a mission of providing air defense to the
air base under construction and the majority of these units remained there
until deactivated. The unconventional force, the Viet Cong (VC), did not
have airplanes and the North had not employed their air forces either. He
wondered, “Why are we in Vietnam? Have we been sent there by mistake?”
This one-year tour was uneventful except for the tremendous work hardening
the missile sites. The VC were more of a nuisance than a force to content
with at this time.
Coming
out of Vietnam in 1969, he asked for and received an inter-theater
transfer to He arrived in Germany in October assigned to the 69th
Air Defense Artillery Group located in Wurzburg. The units were required
to maintain a high state of readiness since we were looking at the “potential
enemy” (the East Germans and the Russians) right across the West German
eastern border. These were three years of hard work that often boring. But
his family had a chance to tour friendly Europe.
In June 1972, he volunteered to go to Spain to fill a
vacant position as the Artillery/Air Defense Advisor to the Spanish Army.
He packed up his family and traveled by car to Madrid; where they spent
the next three years in the most enjoyable tour of his military career. He
was assigned to the Joint United States Military Assistance/Advisory
Group. Three years of living in the land of his ancestor’s heritage and
being treated as an equal by his Spanish counterparts was indeed a
once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Al returned to the US in 1975 and was assigned to the
Air Defense Center, Ft. Bliss, Texas. While there he served as the Deputy
Commander of a Hawk Guided Missile Battalion for 18 months. Then he was
called to serve as the Race Relations/Equal Employment Officer at the
Center on the staff of the commanding general. This came to be a very
challenging job, but he survived. There are many stories he could tell
about this job but he will spare the reader the details.
In 1978, the military personnel office staff in
Washington in their infinite wisdom decided to send Al to Southern
Command, Panama as a Public Affairs Officer. While in Panama, he and his
family enjoyed the beaches, fishing, good food, and mingling with the
natives. He says, “It was a satisfying tour of duty but we were happy to
return to the good ole US of A to retire in 1982.”
Al now lives in Farmington with his wife, Heidi. Al
taught in the various colleges and school systems for a period of time
after moving to Farmington. He is a community volunteer with Meals on
Wheels assisting the needy among us.
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Some
lucky member will win this stained glass work of art made by Peggy
Johnson. The raffle tickets will be sold at each general membership
meeting between now and the Summer picnic.
During the Summer Picnic the winning entry will be
drawn from “the hat” and this gorgeous piece of art will belong to the
owner of the ticket.
Tickets may be purchased from Trish Marquez or one of
the other ladies on the Programs Committee. The tickets cost $1.00 each or
6 for $5.00.
Don’t miss your chance to be the proud owner of this
lovingly crafted stain glass work of art.
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By
Al Garcia
Fellow Chapter Members and Spouses:
We are one full month into the 21st Century. It is
exciting to be alive and well at this time in the history of the world.
The year 2000 marked the end of the 20th Century, the new one started
January 01, 2001. As we launch our life into this era what kind of
resolutions should we make? As retirees, stopping to smell the roses could
be a good resolution. Another could be to live healthy
The century brings us new leadership in the White
House. It seems to me that there are many exciting events taking place and
we should wish the President and his administration God speed. It is
refreshing to watch this Commander-in-Chief as he presents himself before
his military subordinates. At least one retiree is serving on his cabinet.
The Chapter has been in existence one year and four
months. We have come a long ways but we need to grow and expand our sphere
of influence. Each member and spouse is vital to the organization's well
being. I appreciate your attendance at meetings and enthusiasm in support
of the Chapter goals. We appreciate your willingness to contribute annual
dues and assist with special projects.
Let's all try to let our friends and neighbors know
that we exist. That we need eligible folks to come join our ranks. We are
excited that we plan to do some things this year that will get some of us
involved in the community. Volunteerism is a high producing activity. We
would like to know of your involvement in community projects. We need your
stories to publish in the Newsletter. We need stories! Help!
Don’t forget that the General Membership meeting
location has been changed to the Farmington Holiday Inn at 600 East
Broadway. The meal will be buffet style and include a selection of entrees
, vegetables, salads, and desserts.
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