Boyertown HS senior awarded full ROTC scholarship

Cadet Battalion Commander Mariah Curcio (seen left) of Boyertown High School was awarded a full ROTC scholarship from the United States Marine Corps.  Cadet Curcio was presented with a check for $160,000 at her school's annual Navy JROTC award ceremony on May 16, 2012.  At the same ceremony, this outstanding future officer was also selected by her unit commander to receive the MOAA Medal for superior performance in a leadership position.  "In all the years I've ran this unit, I've never come across an individual who was as talented, as driven, and as completely focused as Mariah," said Lieutenant Commander Robert Hayman.  "She will be very bad missed by everyone here in our unit."  Mariah is one of six cadets from Boyertown who will be going on to officer training in the fall.  That represents a record for the Boyertown unit - and an impressive achievement at time when ROTC appointments are so tight.  Congratulations to Mariah and all the graduating seniors of this outstanding unit.

A note from a Proud Cadet

Received from a member of the Villanova University Navy ROTC Unit:

"On behalf of Villanova University, I would like to thank you and the MOAA Valley Forge Chapter for your continued support of our NROTC Unit.  I would also like to personally thank you for your kind sponsorship of my own award at this year's Spring Review.  The support of organizations like yours means a lot to so many future officers.   I hope you all have a restful summer and I wish you much success in the years to come." Sincerely, MIDN 2/c Anne Chambers

Special thanks from an MOAA Awardee

On April 17th, Midshipman Second Class Anne Chambers was awarded the MOAA ROTC Medal for outstanding achievement in a position of battalion leadership.  In a very moving letter, Midshipman Chambers wrote our chapter that "the support of organizations like yourselves means a lot to so many future officers."  The Valley Forge Chapter is proud to carry MOAA's mission to the hundreds of ROTC cadets and midshipmen throughout the Delaware Valley.  Stay tuned for future updates on our other awardees.

2011 ROTC Liberty Bell Winner

Cadet Grazia Castagna

Cadet Captain Grazia Castagna is a junior at Villanova University  and a member of the St. Joseph’s University Air Force ROTC Detachment.  She majors in Arabic Studies, carries a 3.8 GPA, and is fluent in four foreign languages.  Cadet Castagna is described by her commanding officer as “one of the brightest and most talented performers who has ever walked through those doors.”  With her keen intellect and extraordinary aptitude for language, Cadet Castagna is seeking selection as an Air Force Intelligence Officer.

Along with the Liberty Bell Trophy, Cadet Castagna was awarded a $1000 scholarship at the Chapter's Annual Luncheon in December 2011.  Jack Whalen is shown presenting the trophy along with Cadet Castagna's mother.

2011 JROTC Liberty Bell

Cadet SGM Anthony Rivera

Cadet Sergeant Major Anthony Rivera of Chester High School is the proud winner of the 2011 JROTC Liberty Bell Trophy and Scholarship.  As a junior at the Chester High School Marine Corps unit, Cadet Rivera has received  every medal and ribbon a cadet can possibly win.  Holding the office of Command Sergeant Major, he has excelled in drill, marksmanship, academics, physical fitness, community service, and military bearing.  He is also an exceptional saxophonist, and was recently invited to compete for a Thomas A. Dorsey Music Scholarship from the Berklee School of Music.  Cadet Rivera intends to serve in the United States Marine Corps.

The Chapter was most fortunate to have Cadet Rivera play the National Anthem at the beginning at the Annual Luncheon in early December.  All in attendance agreed it was a superlative rendition.  He is pictured here receiving a $1,000 Scholarship Award from our J/ROTC Liaison, Jack Whalen. 

2012 Schedule of Events

January 23               
Directors Meeting @ Sheraton Great Valley

February 4               
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

February 18             
Luncheon Meeting @ Dignazio's Towne House

March 3                  
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

April 14                  
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

April 16
Director's Meeting @ Sheraton Great Valley

May 5
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

June 2
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

June 9
Lunch with PA Council Chapters

July 7
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

July 16
Directors Meeting @ Sheraton Great Valley

August 4
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

September 8
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

September 8
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

September 14/15
PA COC Convention in Bethlehem

October 6
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

October 15
Directors Meeting @Sheraton Great Valley

November 3
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

December 1
Camaraderie Breakfast @ The Lion Share Diner

December 8
Luncheon Meeting @ TBD

Quadrant, November 2010

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Quadrant, August 2010

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Quadrant, May 2010

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Quadrant, February 2010

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Farewell to Our President

This past Monday, January 4th, a few of us gathered at the Epicurean Restaurant in Phoenixville to bid farewell to our chapter president and his wife. Bob and Carol Kutulis have started a new chapter in their life's biography. They have bought property in Michigan and are going to build a new home and they've purchased a condo in Florida and will join others who are "Snowbirds" living in both the North and the South (we'll let you guess which seasons will be spent where). They departed today for Florida.

As Bob is about to assume the role of President of the Pennsylvania Council of MOAA chapters, he will still be in the state quite a bit over the next year and has promised to stay intouch with us frequently.

We all wish Bob and Carol fair winds and following seas in their new journey.

2010 Schedule of Chapter Events

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Don't forget to mark your calendar!

Quadrant, December 2009

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Our December 5th Chapter Meeting is Set!

December 5th General Meeting is set The Valley Forge chapter’s next meeting is set for December 5th from 12:00 to 3 PM. We will gather at the Desmond Hotel, 1 Liberty Blvd, Malvern, 610.296.9800 (http://www.desmondgv.com/index.htm ). Social hour starts at noon, the meeting will begin promptly at 1 PM with dinner served at 1:30. Jim Gerlach, U.S. Congressman from the 6th District will be our guest speaker. During the event we will be presenting our annual Liberty Bell award and scholarship to an ROTC and JROTC cadet from one of the schools in the area. Come on out, see comrades that you haven’t seen in a while and meet new ones. You’ll have a great time! Bring your spouse AND bring a friend or a potential member See everyone on the 5th! Keith Rodwell 610.594.9471

Chapter Leader’s Symposium at Hershey Lodge: My thoughts

Chapter Leader’s Symposium at Hershey Lodge September 11 – 13, 2009 My thoughts As one of the “new kids on the block” I was looking forward to spending a weekend of listening and learning about ways to improve chapter life from those who had been around awhile. And boy did I learn. I learned that pens don’t write fast enough for the recording all of the ideas and information that came out of the Recruiting & Retention workshops that I was involved in. Between Bob Kutulis, Frank Brown and I we have some key things which need to be accomplished in the next few years to make the Valley Forge Chapter better than it already is. We are going to make a concerted effort to get as many of our members to get out to our December meeting to explain all of the items on our plate. We’d like to build our membership and we have a number of ideas of how to get new members. Of course, in order to make our chapter into a more visible entity we need everyone’s help. Stand by for arm twisting by the board! Diane, my wife, was also in attendance in Hershey. She took the wonderful tour of downtown Hershey remarking especially about the architecture of the Hershey Hotel and the philanthropic efforts of Milton Hershey back in the early 1900s. (The only down side to the tour – for a person who is conscious of her diet – was the never ending offering of different kinds of chocolate. Even upon checking into the lodge you are given 2 large candy bars!) The events of the weekend went off with the expected military precision which was only surpassed by the super food. Keith Rodwell

Tid-Bits of Info from the President

TID BITS Want a week's vacation lodging for only $329? Go to http://veteransholidays.com. You're eligible to participate if you're on active duty, retired or honorably discharged or separated from one of the seven uniformed services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, NOAA, and Public Health Service), on active duty, retired or honorably discharged or separated from the National Guard or Reserve, a current or retired employee of the Veterans Administration or Department of Veterans Affairs, or an employee or member of a participating organization with an assigned Veterans Organization Number (VON). Some folks I was with this past weekend in DC said they have done this several times and have nothing but rave reviews! It's cheap and it works! Want to read the Health Care Bill? http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf. Checklist eases process after death. A blanket checklist can be found at www.retirees.af.mil on the Library page. You can also go to the MOAA publications page: http://www.moaa.org/usergroup/usergroup_ad/pubs_infoex/default.htm What are the Keys to Continuing Military Benefit Eligibility for Survivors? http://www.moaa.org/usergroup/usergroup_ad/pubs_infoex/default.htm Find out the answer to this and many of your questions on the MOAA publications web page link.

September 5th Breakfast

September 5th Breakfast Topics amongst the 8 members present for this past Saturday’s breakfast spanned many, many years. V5 & V12 programs during WWII, flying during the Korean War, a short stop in Vietnam and up to piercing the veil of the newest destroyer class, called the Zumwalt class. (Wow! If you old tin-can sailors want to see a revolutionary hull, click here: http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/dd21/) Lots of stories were told recalling many a wonderful adventure of young, eager O-1s & 2s! Which led to the subject of our chapter’s new “Speaker’s Bureau". Get your story out to an ROTC or JROTC unit! The students will even come to you to record your adventures! Be part of the growing oral history – it’s important to them and you. Contact me to find out more (Krodwell@colvoce.com). Bob Kutulis mentioned the upcoming President’s Symposium that he, Frank Brown and Keith Rodwell will be attending this coming weekend in Hershey. He added some exciting news about the chapter’s general meeting in two weeks; the guest speaker will be Capt Marc Stanley, USN Ret., the senior instructor from Owen J. Roberts High School NROTC. It was good to gather around the table with Bob Kutulis, Sam Long, Len Humphreys, Frank Brown, Bob Clifton, George Henson and Dave Hyster. Let me see, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Six Navy guys and 2 from the Air Force! (Maybe it’s because us Navy guys had to get up early to sail with the prevailing tide.) Come on Army and Marine Corps! Join us for good chow and conversation! Next breakfast, October 3rd – put it on your calendar…and bring your spouse.

2009 Calendar of Events (revised)

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Quadrant, August, 2009

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September 19th Membership Meeting

The general membership meeting on September 19, 2009 will be from 4:00 to 6 PM. Please make plans to join your comrades, old friends and new friends at D'Ignazio's restaurant in Media, PA (click here for directions --> DIRECTIONS TO I'GANZIOS)

You are encouraged to make a special effort to attend this first meeting after the long summer break to learn all about the new changes in the chapter. (Need a ride? Call a board member to arrange!! Phone numbers are on the "Officers & Contacts" page)

Our speaker for the evening will be CAPT Marc Stanley, USN, the Commanding Officer of the NJROTC unit at Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown.

Click on the reservation form, print it out and mail it in as soon as possible.

Bring a friend, spouse or prospective member...see you on the 19th!

2009 Calander of Events

Quad Newsletter-May 09

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