March 2003

An election for the three at-large Directors is scheduled for 2003.  The AHA Corporation Bylaws proscribe that Directors are elected in odd number years (2003) and Officers are elected in even number years (2004).

The AHA President, Jay Craddock, appointed an Election Committee composed of the Vice President, Ken Moore, the Secretary-Treasurer, John Ruppel, and association member at large, LTC Jim Rommelfanger.  The committee is responsible for gathering nominations, distributing, collecting, and counting the ballots.  The newly elected Directors will be announced at the Association's annual meeting, the Annual Old Timers' Lunch, scheduled for March 12, 2003.

All AHA members in good standing may vote for Director.  Ballots have been included in your newsletter if you paid your 2002 membership dues.  If your last year’s dues were not paid, you are not considered to be in good standing and are not eligible to vote.  There are four names on the ballot:  CMS Ed Boddington, SMS Don Delucchi, Lt Col Cindy Kepple, and Capt John Oliver.  There is no write-in provision.  Please vote for three of the four nominees.  The three nominees with the highest number of votes will be declared Directors, and will be announced and begin their two-year term at the Old Timers' Luncheon

The self-addressed stamped ballot should be postmarked by March 3, 2002, and mailed to: 

Lt Col Cynthia Kepple, Scholarship Chair 

Each year, the 129^th AHA awards scholarships to deserving members of the Unit.  For the year 2003, we will be providing six scholarships - four to members of the Wing and two to dependents.  Additionally, the Bay Area Chapter of The Retired Officers’ Association, now headed by Jay Craddock, will be supplementing the $300 129^th AHA scholarships with and additional $200 scholarship from TROA. 

Scholarship recipients for 2003 are:

·         TSgt Maria Myakovsky

·         SrA Raeann Cordova

·         SrA Luke Fitzgerald

·         SrA Jessica Vasconcellos

·         Gonzalo Solis

·         Steven L. Kepple, Jr. 

The scholarship awardees will be our guests at the Old Timers' Luncheon and be presented with checks for educational expenses.  Plan on being there to congratulate these young people for their accomplishments.                       

Cindy

Reminders and Updates

Dues billings for 2003 have been mailed, and dues should be paid by March 12, 2003.  You may send your dues check with your Old Timers’ Luncheon reservations, or you may pay at the luncheon.  After that date, dues are considered delinquent.

Beginning with the June 2003 edition of the newsletter, the Board has directed that a reminder will be published listing the names of those who have not yet paid their dues.  Consider this your notice!

Effective December 31, 2003, any member who has not paid their dues will be suspended from the mailing list (both snail-mail and e-mail) of the Old Timers’ Noozze until all arrears are paid.  This policy will be finalized at the July 2003 Board meeting.

If you for some reason choose to discontinue your affiliation with the 129^th AHA, please do not just quit paying your dues.  The by-laws require that you give notice at the end of the year that you wish to resign from the Association.  Attach a note to your billing notice requesting your name be removed from the membership.  You cannot resign unless you are a member in good standing (translation: current with your dues).  If you are sufficiently delinquent in dues payment, the Board can vote to expel you from the Association.  If in the future you wish to re-establish your affiliation with the 129^th AHA, you must petition the Board for membership and pay any arrears plus current dues.

Don’t want to hassle with remembering to pay your dues?  The Board has decided you may prepay up to 5 years of dues at the current rate (that would be $50 currently).  That will be drawn upon until exhausted, and in the final year you will be responsible for any shortfall.  In other words, you will not be protected from any dues increases.

Remember – your dues and donations are the primary support of the 129^th AHA.  Your membership is both needed and valued.

The Secretary – Treasurer’s Report

Col John L. Ruppel, Jr. (Ret.)

The annual financial statement is presented below.  The Association is in sound financial condition, and can continue supporting the various programs.  We have received excellent scholarship support for 2003 from the membership, our Air Show participation, and a grant from California Federal Bank (now Citibank).  The Association membership has continued to grow with a net increase of 17 members.  The dues delinquency rate is approximately 4% - a number we would like to see decrease in 2003.  Due to Wing commitments we were unable to host a golf tournament in 2002.  However, we have budgeted for a golf tournament in 2003.  Details will be in a future newsletter.  Questions or comments?  Contact me by e-mail or at the Old Timers’ Luncheon.  Thanks for your continued support.

Customized with your name and rank!

After much searching we have found a new source of MembersOnly jackets - so we are once again taking orders for 129^th AHA jackets.  Order forms will be available at the Old Timers Luncheon.

Want to own a really distinctive jacket to show your affiliation with the 129^th AHA?  Order your navy blue, MembersOnly, summer-weight poplin jacket today.  The left breast has the current wing patch and the original troop carrier group patch (now worn by the Rescue Squadron), with 129 AHA embroidered below.  The right breast sports the Air Force Patch with your name embroidered below.  Jackets are available for $70 ($35 deposit per jacket required). 

Order your jacket from Don Delucchi at:

(925) 689-2683