Please come and celebrate Lt Col Dennis Matsuura retirement party. Lt Col Matsuura has dedicated 35 years of service as an enlisted and officer with 154th Resource Management Squadron, 169th Air Defense Squadron and 154th Operations Support Squadron. Lt Col Matsuura also actively served in various positions with the Hawai‘i National Guard Association.
Date:Cost: $40.00 per person
Informational flyer: Matsuura Retirement Flyer
Please sign up with Lt Col Gaye Araki gaye.araki.2@us.af.mil, 448-8146 ext 444-6325), Lt Col Dana Fisher dana.fisher@us.af.mil, 655-7211 SMSgt Ted Pablo ted.pablo@us.af.mil, 655-7211You can register to receive an email every time there is a new post. In the “Follow Blog via Email” section and press “Follow”. On the next screen, enter your email address and press ENTER. Shortly, you will receive a confirmation email to your address from WordPress.com. You acknowledge the email and you are a registered reader. After you compete this short registration process, you get a notification email every time there is a new posting. The email has a quick teaser of the posting, along with tags that indicate how the posting relates to special topics/areas.
Special Thanks to Sharnell Valero who registered to “Follow Blog via Email” last week.
Research shows that the older a person gets, the more happiness is derived from everyday activities, not extraordinary events.
Continue reading http://tinyurl.com/qeebhsc
The initial symptoms of a stroke — nausea, an excruciating headache, a lack of coordination, vision problems, or difficulty speaking clearly — are often dismissed as signs of something else.
While visiting some cemeteries you may notice that headstones marking certain graves have coins on them, left by previous visitors to the grave. These coins have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who gave their life while serving in America’s military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of coin.
A coin left on a headstone or at the gravesite is meant as a message to the deceased soldier’s family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect.
* A penny at the grave means simply that you visited. * A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together * A dime means you served with him in some capacity.* By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the solider when he was killed.
According to tradition, the money left at graves in national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent veterans.
In the US, this practice became common during the Vietnam War, due to the political divide in the country over the war; leaving a coin was seen as a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the grave than contacting the soldier’s family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war. Some Vietnam veterans would leave coins as a “down payment” to buy their fallen comrades a beer or play a hand of cards when they would finally be reunited.
The tradition of leaving coins on the headstones of military men and women can be traced to as far back as the Roman Empire.
Related http://www.snopes.com/military/coins.asphttp://gravingwithjenn.com/paying-respects-why-coins-are-left-on-headstones/
Thanks to Billy Chang for sending this article to Retiree News
That ab workout will be much more effective if you’re eating the right foods. Our weight-loss expert tells you what to include in your diet.
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Peter Ching, a retired 169th Air Defense Squadron member provided the background information about the photograph and its significance. Thanks Peter!
Members of the then 169th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (169 ACWS) participated in the 1996 Top Scope competition at Tyndell AFB, Florida. The competition featured the best weapons controllers from Western Air Defense Sector, Eastern Air Defense Sector, Hawaii Region Operations Control Center, Alaskan NORAD Region, and the Canadian NORAD Region.
In the photograph from the left are: Col Peter “Skipper” Pawling, then the 154th Operations Group commander, Capts Kevin Abe and Peter Ching, SSgt Obed Sniffen, Capt Jeffrey Waechter, SMSgt Deo Agbayani, SSgt Sel Valenciano, and Lt Col Jerry “JB” Bona, the squadron commander.
SSgt Sniffen won the Top Tracker individual competition and holds the plaque in the photograph.
The Top Scope competition ran for many years but unfortunately ended in 1998 due to budget restraints.
Update: MSgts Agbayani and Valenciano continue their service with the renamed 169th Air Defense Squadron (169 ADS). Lt Col Waechter has worked at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, DC for many years. The other members in the photograph are retired.
The Ashford ‘Ohana will have local services for their father, Colonel James Ashford.
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2014 Time: 1030 Place: Oahu Cemetery, 2162 Nu‘uanu AveAccording to the colonel’s daughter Joan, his plot is near the entrance and it will be an inurnment.
Since they had the formal service with the full military honors for him in Oregon in May, this service will be more informal with family and friends. Hawai‘i Air National Guard members who knew Colonel Ashford are encouraged attend and share memories with his family.
On Monday, Erik Wong started as the A3T at Headquarters, Hawai‘i Air National Guard. Erik fills the position previously held for many years by Jim Townsend, and more recently Tim Fujino. Erik just retired from his civilian position with the Navy. He remains a Traditional member of the 154th Medical Group.
Learn more about the 2014-2015 flu season by going to the Center for Disease Control website http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/index.htm
Hawaii to Receive Over $226,000 for Its Part in Settlement
HONOLULU — The State of Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) announced today that its Office of Consumer Protection (OCP), along with 49 other states and the District of Columbia, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Federal Communications Commission, reached a $105 million settlement with AT&T Mobility LLC. This action resolves allegations that the company charged for third-party services not authorized by the consumer, a practice known as “mobile cramming.”
Consumers who have been “crammed” often complain about charges, typically $9.99 per month, for “premium” text message subscription services (also known as “PSMS”), such as horoscopes, trivia, and sports scores, which the consumers have never heard of or requested. OCP, together with the other states and federal regulators allege that cramming occurred when AT&T Mobility placed charges on consumers’ mobile telephone bills for these services without the consumer’s knowledge or consent.
AT&T Mobility is the first mobile telephone provider to enter into national settlement to resolve allegations regarding cramming. AT&T Mobility was among the major mobile carriers—Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile—to announce it would cease billing their customers for commercial PSMS charges last fall.
“This settlement will result in significant protections for Hawaii customers of AT&T Mobility to prevent mobile cramming in the future,” said OCP Executive Director Bruce B. Kim. “Anyone who believes that they have been the victim of such deceptive practices should visit the FTC website as soon as possible to see if they qualify for a refund.”
Under the terms of the settlements, AT&T Mobility is required to provide $80 million in funds to refund consumers who were victims of cramming. The fund will be administered by the FTC.
Beginning today, consumers may submit claims under the AT&T Mobility cramming refund program by visiting www.ftc.gov/att, where consumers can find information about how to obtain a refund. If consumers are unsure whether they are eligible for a refund, they can visit the claims website or contact the Claims Administrator at 1-877-819-9692 for more information.
The State of Hawaii’s DCCA Office of Consumer Protection educates and protects consumers from unlawful acts or practices by companies which may cause harm to consumers. If you have further questions about our services, contact the Office of Consumer Protection at (808) 586-2636 or www.cca.hawaii.gov
Ever wonder who falls for online scams? Does anyone really think receiving an email promising an out-of-the-blue inheritance from some unknown relative isn’t a trick? While this particular scam is now old, cyber criminals have come back with new tricks that are far, far more dangerous. Learn more
Do you know the symptoms? Know the signs of someone in distress so you can take action.
Thomas Haughey, 68, of Honolulu, a computer network instructor and an Army National Guard veteran, passed in September 13, 2014. He was born in Rhode Island. He is survived by companion Robyn Vierra; son Michael; daughters Shannon Murphy and Kristen Moore; brothers John, Bill and Gordon; and nine grandchildren.
