FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION, BRANCH 162

OCTOBER 2011 NEWS

Shipmates - To renew your membership by mail, on line or by phone using your credit card call the FRA National Headquarters at   1-800-FRA-1924 or use their web-site www.fra.org.  Another way to renew is to use your military allotment.  To do that call the above number or use the web-site for more info on how to start an allotment to automatically pay your dues.  This way you will not have to worry about renewing its done automatically.

Dues are now $30.00 per year unless you renew for multiple years or use the allotment system. If you have received a renewal notice please use that to renew  S/M's you can also stop by your Branch Home so say HELLO, and leave your dues with the club manager, and he will forward them to the branch secretary.  REMEMBER that both the Branch & the FRA needs you as a member. STAY  FRA!

GENERAL NEWS: 

                                  Membership

These days we need the FRA working for us to retain our earned benefits.  Try contacting members that you recruited or can recruit, and see if you can get them come to join the FRA.  We need all the members that we can get to let Congress know where we as veterans and retiree stand.  Please note the statement concerning an increase in branch membership on previous page.  Thanks for all who helped contribute to this increase.

 A new form makes reporting a retiree’s death easier.  DFSA has launched a new online form to make it easier for grieving family members to report a death of a military retiree.  Instead of calling the Customer Care Center survivors of recently deceased military retirees can use DFSA 9221 (Notification of Death Fast Form).  Survivors can find a link to the new form and other useful info on the DFSA web-site - http://www.dfsa.mil/retiredmilitary/surviors/Retiree-death.html.

                                 Reminder

New postal regulations now require us to pay the post office $0.50 per address correction.  It is very important that you let us know when you change address so we can avoid this charge.  Please let the Branch, Unit or Fleet 162, Inc. know your new address, or notify FRA, NHQ's at www.fra.org or call them at 1-800-FRA-1924.

                                 WWII  Museum

The Branch has renewed its membership with the National WWII Museum. Our membership entitles us to the use of a membership card that includes one guest.  The branch secretary has a logbook with which S/M's can check out and use this card.

                                                            

BRANCH  NEWS -

 PLEASE NOTE – We have planned to have “Dinner with Friends” again.  This is where you can go to a restaurant with your family or with your friends and order what you like from the menu.  When the waiter/waitress brings the bill, present a copy of our flyer and the branch will receive 10% of the total bill as a donation.  Scheduled dates and restaurants are:  Tuesday, January 17th  “Gatusso’s” 5th Street & Huey P. Long Ave., and Tuesday February 28th at “El Mesquite Grill – Mexican Restaurant” (formerly Visko’s) at 516 Gretna Blvd.  Both are in Gretna.  Times are 6-9 PM for both.   Give it a try and have a good meal with your family and or  your friends and we will get a donation to our branch. 

The branch received over 70 American Essay contest essays and has been judged by the committee.  Winners will be announced in next month’s newsletter.                              

The national Vice P resident Mark KILGORE will visit the branch and attend our January meeting on Friday the 20th

He will give us an up date on what is going on within the association, and a heads up on Congress.

He most likely will take any questions or concerns we might have and answer them if he can.  Both the Vice President and our National President Jeff GILMARTIN are a good team and have the FRA and its member’s best interest at heart.  So try to make the January 20th meeting and meet one of our national officers.

 Check out the Branch Home/Fleet 162 Inc page for info concerning our support for the “Poker Run” to raise funds for the “Wounded Warrior “project.  This is a very worth while cause.

It has been suggested that when attending branch meetings, and official gatherings that our shipmates wear a proper cover, and our FRA shirts if they have them.

BRANCH PRODUCTS!!  The Branch is now selling Caps, Polo Shirts and Jackets with the FRA and service emblems.  Go to the links page and click on the tab for FRA Caps/Jackets/Shirts to print your order form!!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - New postal regulations now require us to pay $0.50 cents per address change from them.  It is imperative that you let us know when you change address so we can avoid this charge.      Please let the Branch, Unit, or Fleet 162, Inc know when you change address.  We will inform the national headquarters of any changes sent to us.  Thank You.        

PROVIDE INPUT!  The FRA is very interested in hearing from you!  There's always a survey available at www.fra.org/survey. The surveys are quick, easy, and help us share your concerns with lawmakers on Capitol Hill!

BE A FAN!  Become an FRA Fan on FACEBOOK.  Visit www.fra.org/fb and join our growing list of fans.  The FRA Facebook page is a great place to post photos, videos, have discussions, and find old friends.  If you're already on Facebook, you can invite your friends to check out FRA and use the page as a great recruiting tool!  Our fans are also the first to hear of breaking news, get links to items of importance, and shortcuts to other pages of interest.                                                                   

Home      Branch 162    FRA Benefits       Member Info        Branch News        Unit 162        Fleet 162        Calendar        Links