Surviving Spouse Corner

Surviving Spouse Corner

Mail / By

Many of the MOAA Chapters in Florida take the summer off. I had hoped to start the summer with the MOAA STATE CONVENTION. Unfortunately, I had to miss it because I had contacted Covid. Looking through the attendee list, I did not see many names of Surviving Spouse Liaisons. I hope that many of you can make arrangements to come to the Florida Forum in January 2023. There will be programs for you and Spouses at this gathering. When the date is officially announced, clear your calendar. Make attendance a priority.

Before that there is an opportunity to attend the MOAA National Meeting in October 2022 in Kansas City. Watch for more information.

Meanwhile, enjoy your summer. My plans are to engage my grandsons and granddaughter in the military. Recently while traveling with one grandson, we stopped at Warner Robbins Air Force Base in Macon, GA. They have a fantastic museum there. My 13 year old, Jackson, was amazed. We did a little car tour of the base, also. Wide eyed, he exclaimed…There is a grocery store, a gas station, a bowling alley, a church…why it’s just like a town. Having health issues, neither his mom nor dad had been able to serve in the military, so this was his first exposure to a military base. I had not realized what a great experience it would be for him.

Maybe you don’t live near a base. Then, I suggest a road trip. Check online for tours available on the base, an Inn for guests. If that’s not possible, there are great books about the military at your library. (The MOAA Magazine often suggests books to read, and has reviews.) Just now there are so good movies about the military also. Be sure and check for age appropriateness, though.
I suggest having an overnight party with the grandkids and bring out the photo albums and scrap books. Relive some of your adventures at overseas assignments. The kids will love it. They’ll enjoy learning a new dimension of your life, and viewing pictures recording your youth.

Have a fun summer. Come back in the fall refreshed and ready to engage in Chapter meetings and activities.

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Upcoming Florida Election Registration Dates

Special News / By

Every two years, a state Primary Election is held 11 weeks before the General Election. The Primary Election is for the purpose of nominating party nominees to be voted for in the General Election to fill a national, state, county, or district office. A General Election is held on the second Tuesday in November of every even-numbered year.

Election Dates for 2022 are:

  • Primary Election: August 23
  • General Election: November 8

Contact your county Supervisor of Elections for the most up-to-date information.

Deadline to Register (Book Closing)

Eligible individuals can register to vote at any time. The deadline to register in order to participate in an upcoming election is 29 days before the election. The registration deadlines for 2022 are:

  • Primary Election: July 25
  • General Election: October 11

Vote-by-Mail Ballot ‘Send’ Deadline

State law requires Supervisors of Elections to send, within the following specified timeframes, to voters who already have requests on file:

For absent stateside and overseas uniformed service member and overseas civilian voters (also known as UOCAVA voters), Supervisors of Elections send the ballots no later than 45 days before an election. The send deadlines for 2022 are:

  • Primary Election: July 9
  • General Election: September 24

For domestic voters, Supervisors of Elections send the ballots during a 7-day window which is between 40 and 33 days before an election. The send periods for 2022 are:

  • Primary Election: July 14 – 21
  • General Election: September 29 – October 6

Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request and Return Deadlines The deadline to request that a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed is no later than 5:00 p.m. (local time) on the 10th day before the election. The deadlines for 2022 are:

  • Primary Election: August 13
  • General Election: October 29

A vote-by-mail ballot must be returned and received by the Supervisor of Elections in the county of registration no later than 7:00 p.m. (local time) on election day for the respective election in order to be counted.

*A 10-day extension exists only for overseas voters for the Presidential Preference Primary and General Election only.

For more information about voting by mail, visit the Division of Elections’ webpages Vote-by-Mail and Military and Overseas Citizens Voting.

Early Voting Period

By law, early voting must be held at least for 8 days. The mandatory early voting periods for 2022 are:

  • Primary Election: August 13 – 20
  • General Election: October 29 – November 5

Each county Supervisor of Elections may offer more days of early voting from one or more of the following days:

  • Primary Election: August 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 21
  • General Election: October 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and November 6

Check with your county Supervisor of Elections for the additional days of early voting that may be offered in your county. For more information about early voting, visit the Division of Elections’ webpage on Early Voting.

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Educational Opportunities for Disabled Veterans

Benefits, Military, Veteran Benefits / By

SB 554 Substituted for HB 45- -HOUSE Enrolled Text (ER) Filed Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, a disabled veteran who receives a tuition benefit to attend a state university, Florida College System institution, career center operated by a school district, or charter technical career center under the GI Bill, but who does not qualify for the 100-percent eligibility tier federally, is eligible for a waiver of tuition and fees from the institution attended. The award amount is equal to the amount that is the difference between the portion of tuition and fees authorized under federal law and the full amount of tuition and fees charged by the institution attended

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Chaplain's Corner

Chaplain’s Corner – The Centurion

Chaplain's Corner / By

What is great faith? In Luke 7:1-10, Jesus encounters a man who had great faith. It comes from a shocking person, and produces some shocking truths. Even Jesus is a bit shocked at first. As I studied the passage, I came to a new understanding of what great faith is.

Do you want great faith?

Luke tells us that in Capernaum was a centurion. Centurions were Roman Army officers who generally commanded 100 soldiers. Most of them were Gentiles, though sometimes they were half-Jews – Samaritans, so the Jewish people tended to despise centurions.

This centurion cared for his servant. And this dear servant became sick. The centurion, who loved this servant, hated to see him in such distress and agony. So when he hears that Jesus is in town, and sends some people to Jesus. He tells them to go to and plead with Him to come and heal his servant. The situation is so dire, so important, they come pleading and begging earnestly for Jesus to heal the servant.

So Jesus went with them. And when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

He had a comprehension of power. He understood power and how it worked. He understood something about Christ which no one else understood.

When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” When Jesus hears the words spoken by the centurion’s friends, He marveled and turned around. Jesus is so shocked at what He hears, He was stopped in his tracks. He is walking along toward the centurion’s house. The friends say, “You don’t have to go. The centurion says to just say the word and his servant will be healed.” Jesus is so shocked at the man’s faith, he says to the crowd, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” It’s like He is saying, “Wow! Now that is faith!”

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith is confidence and persuasion in something God has said. When you are persuaded that something is true, either because God has said it, or by the supporting evidence, then you have faith in that truth.

The centurion showed great faith because he believed in the power and authority of Jesus to do exactly what He said He would do. The centurion believed that Christ’s word was sufficient.

This is the truth Jesus wants to pass on to his disciples. If you are His disciple, this is what He wants you to learn. Great faith in great promises lead to great results. If you want results, you first have to know the promises. You first have to understand God, and how He works. You first have to know what He has said in His Word. Without a knowledge and understanding of those things, you will never have great faith.

Do you want to please God? Do you want to do great things for God? Do you want God to do great things through you? It’s not enough to just have faith. Faith must be based on the promises of God.

Make your prayer this week the prayer of the man in Mark 9:24, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” We all have areas of unbelief. Though we believe and are convinced of some things, we doubt and do not believe others. Praise God for the things you do believe, but pray that God would help you believe the things you do not. Then when we come to Jesus in prayer, He will marvel at our faith as well.

Chaplain Tom Love

 

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Surviving Spouse Corner

Surviving Spouse Corner – May 2022

Surviving Spouse / By

May is the month to acknowledge Mothers. The second Sunday of May is set aside for this purpose. A lucky few of our members can visit, present gifts and entertain their mothers on Mothers’ Day. Most of our membership has lost their mother. This is the natural outcome of aging. We still cherish them and honor their memory, though, and have come to realize and appreciate the sacrifices they made for our benefit.

If you have daughters (or daughters-in-law) who embrace children and family life, you can honor them. They are the family glue. And they are the nannies, the planners, the carpoolers, the housekeepers, the cooks, the gardeners, the peacekeepers, and the social secretaries of the family. Often, they are a wage earner. (These attributes apply to sons and sons-in-law too, but June is their month.) Praise your daughters for their hard work and congratulate their achievements.

There is another group that we can honor in May – the caregivers of our disabled veterans. They assist those who served. The challenges are unique and the caregiver role may last a lifetime. They are devoted to the well-being of our military heroes. Sacrifices in their careers and financial stability are gladly endured. They re-prioritize their personal ambitions, health, and goals to care for the injured and ill. Their service is an invaluable contribution to our Nation and those who wear the uniform. Let’s honor them, too.

Happy Mother’s Day to All!

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