MOAA NATIONAL
A Phenominal Launch to Total Force +
Pictured above: MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), speaks on the main stage Tuesday during the opening session of TotalForce+ at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. (Photo by Mike Morones/MOAA)
From The MOAA Newsletter
October 30, 2025
Two days with a two-word message: People matter.
MOAA’s inaugural people-focused conference, TotalForce+, wrapped up Oct. 29 after dozens of exhibitors, speakers, and special guests greeted attendees at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Featuring service and industry leaders, social media influencers and celebrities, advocates and decorated veterans, alongside many more stakeholders, the event tackled all manner of personnel topics and challenges facing those who serve and have served, and their families.
“This is what positive collaboration looks like,” said Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), MOAA’s president and CEO. “We wanted to create a forum for stakeholders to come together and share meaningful solutions. It’s been such an encouraging start to what we hope will be a fixture on the total force landscape.”
Starting Strong
Former Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Oct. 25, 2007, in Afghanistan, kicked off TotalForce+ with a speech focused on the value of the all-volunteer force. Giunta spoke to a filled room of attendees about his path to service, which began when he enlisted in the Army in 2003. His message, which hit at the core of the conference’s purpose: You’re only as strong as the team you bring to the fight.
But, he said, “You don’t have to be in the trenches, bleeding and sweating and starving to be on the team,” Giunta said. “You just have to be useful to someone to get the job done. When you don’t care who takes credit, imagine the things you can accomplish.”
He credited MOAA for the work it does and is doing through TotalForce+ to bring stakeholders together to make a difference for the military and veterans’ communities.
“The potential that is in this room is incredible,” Giunta said. “I’m from Iowa. We don’t have any professional teams, so I can jump on any bandwagon and not feel bad about it. Jump on the right one. This is the right team to be on, going in the right direction for the right things.”
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Gloria Kuzmicki attended the two-day conference with fellow airmen and found the event “phenomenal.”
“Every one of the speakers was top-notch. They had great advice, great information, information that honestly needs to go out to more individuals,” she said.
Kuzmicki, a career field manager, said TotalForce+ fulfills a need when so many conferences focus a lot on equipment and systems.
“People are the biggest resource, and if we’re not taking care of them, it doesn’t matter how awesome our hardware is,” she said.
Covering All Bases
Uniformed members and their families, federal workers in the defense and veterans’ spheres, nonprofit leaders, MOAA members from across the nation, and many others attended a variety of speeches, breakout panels, and other events.
Success After Service: A panel moderated by Kelly brought together members of the entertainment, sports, and music industry in the closing session of the conference. Nate Boyer, Rob Riggle, and B. Taylor shared how their military service has led to their professional accomplishments and why young people today should consider uniformed service.
Boyer, a former Army Green Beret, who played in the NFL and is co-founder of Merging Vets and Players (MVP), said serving in the Army taught him intangibles that other people don’t get to experience.
“Military service opened up the aperture,” he said. “I’m drawn to obstacles and problems that need to get solved. Part of that is from the military … . You elevate quicker because of that background.”
Riggle, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, said he gained discipline from his 23 years of service, a practice that has been key to his success in the entertainment business.
“Comedy and the Marine Corps are totally different things,” Riggle said. “But if you choose a life in the arts, you’re going to get beat up. It’s not friendly. It’s not kind. Guess what? So is the Marines.”
B. Taylor, an artist, producer, and songwriter who served in the Navy, said he carries the “never quit mentality and attitude” he gained from service.
All three panelists emphasized the positive impact uniformed service can have on a young person’s life.
“[There’s] the camaraderie and the skillsets you learn,” said Taylor. There is a certain sacrifice, but [there is also] the many jobs — the great musicians in the military, you can be an accountant, you can be a cook. ... You can get your foundation. And your life is not over when you join. You’ve got to remember that. When you join the military, it’s just beginning.”
Pictured Below: Comedian and actor Lt. Col. Rob Riggle, USMC (Ret), shakes hands with MOAA Board Chairman Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, USMC (Ret), during the Oct. 28 Roast and Toast event. (Photo by Mike Morones/MOAA)
Moving the Mission Forward
“The list of thank-yous is vast,” Kelly said about the first-of-its-kind gathering. “Particularly as the team and everyone involved persevered and delivered a quality event despite the ongoing government shutdown. If you’ve been a part of this process at any point – from a sponsor to an exhibitor to a speaker to an attendee to a staffer to a volunteer – please know we could not have done this without your effort and we appreciate your commitment in the face of headwinds. The conversations started this week will continue in multiple formats moving forward, and we hope you’ll remain a valued contributor.”
“MOAA could not be prouder to be the driving force behind this event,” said MOAA Board Chairman Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, USMC (Ret). “We’re an organization of officers, but our focus has always been on the earned benefits of all who serve and have served, on the well-being of those in uniform and their families, and the stability and security of the total force. This conference has made great strides on all those core issues, and it will help us chart the path forward with lawmakers, fellow advocates, and other stakeholders.”
Smaller Total Force+ events will take place in 2026, Kelly told the crowd from the main stage during the final session, with the full conference set to return to the Gaylord in February 2027. Riggle also entertained a packed house the previous evening for the MOAA Charities Roast and Toast. Joined on stage by representatives from all service branches, Riggle and a legion of funny guys skewered the designated roastee of the night – the Air Force.
When the friendly jousting concluded, and the Air Force toasted, Riggle awarded Army veteran Pete Bergen as the night’s champion roaster.
The event benefitted MOAA Charities and recognized the Air Force Aid Society and Lt. Col. Fenesha Friar for their work on behalf of airmen. It also featured members of 1 Degree of Separation, a group which uses comedy to combat depression and suicide, with programs designed to assist veterans and others in the military community. Its members took part in an earlier main-stage presentation, mixing humor with stories of survival and resilience.The roast was one of several ways MOAA Charities were highlighted during the conference, which offered “a clear example of a 360-degree approach to supporting our communities,” MOAA Vice President of Development Amanda Centers said.
“Just like TotalForce+ covered so many aspects of the military and veteran experience, MOAA Charities offers a range of support to servicemembers, veterans, and families across multiple programs. This is a total team effort, and the lessons learned and connections made will help us help those in need long after the event.”
Smaller Total Force+ events will take place in 2026, Kelly told the crowd from the main stage during the final session, with the full conference set to return to the Gaylord in February 2027. Riggle also entertained a packed house the previous evening for the MOAA Charities Roast and Toast. Joined on stage by representatives from all service branches, Riggle and a legion of funny guys skewered the designated roastee of the night – the Air Force.
When the friendly jousting concluded, and the Air Force toasted, Riggle awarded Army veteran Pete Bergen as the night’s champion roaster.
The event benefitted MOAA Charities and recognized the Air Force Aid Society and Lt. Col. Fenesha Friar for their work on behalf of airmen. It also featured members of 1 Degree of Separation, a group which uses comedy to combat depression and suicide, with programs designed to assist veterans and others in the military community. Its members took part in an earlier main-stage presentation, mixing humor with stories of survival and resilience.The roast was one of several ways MOAA Charities were highlighted during the conference, which offered “a clear example of a 360-degree approach to supporting our communities,” MOAA Vice President of Development Amanda Centers said.
“Just like TotalForce+ covered so many aspects of the military and veteran experience, MOAA Charities offers a range of support to servicemembers, veterans, and families across multiple programs. This is a total team effort, and the lessons learned and connections made will help us help those in need long after the event.”
Pictured Above: Members of the Young Marines take part in opening ceremonies at TotalForce+ (Photo by Mike Morones/Staff)
MOAA's Kathleen Curthoys, Blair Drake, Tony Lombardo, and Chris Martin contributed to this report.
MOAA at 95: A Leader in Military Advocacy
Lt.Gen. Brian T. "BK" Kelly, USAF (Ret)February 21, 2024
MOAA turns 95 years strong on Feb. 23, and while we have adapted and evolved over the years, our core mission has remained intact: advocating on behalf of our servicemembers, veterans, family members, and survivors to preserve and protect their earned benefits and support the “people” side of having a strong national defense.
Formed originally as The Retired Officers Association, founder Col. Arthur T. Marix, USMC (Ret), believed the retiree population could provide vital assistance and knowledge to defense leaders and lawmakers and thereby improve life for our entire military (today’s uniformed services) community.
Our association membership expanded 21 years ago when we became the Military Officers Association of America, and we stand tall today with 363,000 members from among the currently serving and previously served/retired communities. MOAA has been on the leading edge every year since our inception in continuously preserving earned benefits, but as we take a moment to celebrate MOAA’s birthday, I want to share some of the major advocacy milestones MOAA’s been a key part of over the years:
In the 1940s, our advocacy mission was not achieved through meetings with Congress. Rather, we influenced laws by providing input and guidance through the Navy chief of the Bureau of Personnel and the Army deputy chief of staff for personnel. The association hired its first lobbyist in 1944, and by the 1950s, the association was working directly with Congress.
In the 1950s, MOAA worked with other organizations to ensure military members were eligible for full Social Security benefits.
In the 1960s, MOAA helped lead the charge in creating what is today the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).
In 1972, MOAA organized the Council of Military Organizations, a group of legislative representatives of 12 uniformed service-type organizations, both officer and enlisted, meeting monthly to discuss legislative affairs.
A unified voice was needed again in 1985, and MOAA joined with 15 other military associations to form The Military Coalition and undo the complete elimination of the cost-of-living allowance (COLA) included in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. On Oct. 21, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which exempted military and federal civilian retirees from these cuts and linked their COLA payments to those of Social Security recipients.
MOAA took the lead in organizing a program to make the nation aware of the financial hazards of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988. A national coalition was founded called the Coalition for Affordable Health Care. When the impact of the act spread to the grassroots, it was repealed.
In the early 1990s, MOAA launched a series of friend of the court (amicus curiae) legal briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court to assist retiree groups in recovering state taxes illegally imposed on military (and, in some cases, federal civilian) retirees. Collectively, these briefs were instrumental in having the various states refund almost $900 million to retirees for a cost to MOAA of about $100,000.
MOAA worked with others in the coalition to win repeal of the REDUX retirement system.
MOAA and other military advocates fought throughout the 1990s for legislation to improve the military health care benefit for Medicare-eligible retirees. With the FY 2001 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress established TRICARE For Life to cover out-of-pocket costs after Medicare reimbursement and expanded the TRICARE retail and mail-order pharmacy programs to Medicare-eligible retirees.
Lawmakers approved the FY 2020 NDAA and its provision to eliminate the Survivor Benefit Plan-Dependency and Indemnity Compensation offset, better known as the “widows tax,” which MOAA and supporters fought to eliminate for decades. This unfair policy cost up to $12,000 per year for nearly 67,000 spouses.
The MOAA-backed Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, which became law Aug. 10, 2023, supports millions of servicemembers and veterans exposed to harmful toxins.
As a member of our community, you’re already playing an important role in getting laws like these passed. As our founder knew, there is strength in numbers.
It’s truly a privilege to serve and continue our founders’ legacy. Happy birthday, MOAA!
Major Richard Star and Tonya Star
Pictured Above: MAJ Richard Star, USA (Ret) and Tonya Star, for whom the MPACOMVC Legislative Affairs section honors in perpetuity.
From the MOAA Homepage:
Named after Major Richard Star, USA, the Major Richard Act is meant to enable combat-injured veterans to keep at least an amount of retired pay equal to their years of service. Medically retired veterans with less than 20 years of service are only eligible for the concurrent receipt program called Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC).
Star Act passage would enable combat injured veterans the option of receiving either Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) or CRSC, whichever makes them “more whole.”
Star Act passage would enable combat injured veterans the option of receiving either Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) or CRSC, whichever makes them “more whole.”
MOAA Crisis Relief Plan
From the MOAA Homepage:
The Crisis Relief Program offers financial assistance to those falling under one or more of the below categories experiencing a financial setback caused by an unexpected current crisis:
- Currently serving (including National Guard and Reserve)Spouses of currently serving- Veterans- Surviving spouses- Military and veteran caregivers
- Currently serving (including National Guard and Reserve)Spouses of currently serving- Veterans- Surviving spouses- Military and veteran caregivers
Amidst the devastation caused by the wildfires in California, the MOAA Foundation is here to help.
MOAA Looks Ahead: Building the Next Century of Service
From The MOAA Homepage
Tony Lombardo
November 3, 2025
Pictured Above: Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, USMC (Ret), chairman of MOAA’s board of directors, speaks during MOAA's annual meeting on Oct. 30 in National Harbor, Md. (Photos by Mike Morones/MOAA)
MOAA may have just hosted the largest conference in its history, but at the annual meeting of the membership in National Harbor, Md., on Oct. 30, leaders focused on the future. “I think you will share the feeling of great pride I have of MOAA’s accomplishments and what it does every day for the uniformed services community … but we can’t rest on past accomplishments,” said Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, USMC (Ret), chairman of MOAA’s board of directors. The association will turn 97 on Feb. 23, and the centennial is just around the corner. “One of the things as board members we are trying to do is to make sure the organization is on a steady footing for the next 100 years,” he said.
MOAA’s chapter network remains one of its most powerful advocacy tools. With 169 chapters and councils recognized as part of the Levels of Excellence award program and 235 honored for outstanding communications, the grassroots system continues to amplify MOAA’s message nationwide.
Our virtual chapters continue to expand. The Public Affairs and Communication Professional Chapter, approved last October, contributed to a 10% increase in virtual chapter members in 2025.
Cmdr. Linc Smith, USNR (Ret), serves as the public affairs chapter’s president and is past president of MOAA’s Virginia Council of Chapters. He received the annual Chairman’s Award during the annual meeting for what Waldhauser (pictured below with Smith) described as “incredibly strong bipartisan relationships in support of the legislative priorities while leading our Virginia Council” as well as his assistance in providing comms support across MOAA’s council and chapter network.
Waldhauser closed the meeting by noting MOAA’s focus on the long game: “As we approach our 100th year, we’re setting the foundation for the next hundred. Relevancy, stability, and service to all members – that’s what drives us forward.”
MOAA Public Affairs and Communication Professional Chapter Joins MOAA Advocacy in Action 2025
On 9 April 2025, MOAA conducted the annual MOAA Advocacy in Action event (AiA 2025), Capitol Hill, DC. MPACOMVC members joined AiA 2025 teams from around the nation, as follows:
Arizona: MPACOMVC Secretary and Membership Chair Col. Pete Kloeber, USAF, (Ret)
California and Virginia: MPACOMVC President CDR Linc Smith, USNR (Ret)
Florida: MOAA Virtual Council of Chapters Vice President President LTCOL Joe Golasch, USA, (Ret)
Michigan: MPACOMVC Treasurer LCDR Rich Higgans, USN (Ret)
Pennsylvania: MPACOM Vice President LTCOL Keith Beebe, USA (Ret)
From the MOAA Website:
MOAA's annual advocacy event brought members from across the nation to Washington, D.C., in April to meet with lawmakers as part of our ongoing work to advance our legislative agenda.
The 2025 issues and associated "asks" are as follows:
1. Incentivize Military Spouse Hiring
The Ask: Actions to combat stagnant, high rates of unemployment among military spouses must include measures to incentivize their hiring. Cosponsor the Military Spouse Hiring Act to add a military spouse target group to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program.
2. Continue Unaccompanied Housing Improvements The Ask: Transparency is key to supporting lawmaker oversight of this ongoing issue and addressing a $137 billion maintenance backlog. Ask Congress to require DoD to make reports on unaccompanied housing installation conditions publicly available.
3. Improve Access to Health Care for Military Families The Ask: Service members and military families must have a better option for reporting and getting assistance with access-to-care problems within the Military Health System (MHS). MOAA is asking Congress to establish a Digital Access Assistance System for MHS patients.
4. Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans The Ask: Pass legislation to shorten how long millions of veterans must wait before receiving service-earned care and benefits.
5. Support Veteran Caregivers The Ask: Champion/cosponsor the passage of the Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act.
2. Continue Unaccompanied Housing Improvements The Ask: Transparency is key to supporting lawmaker oversight of this ongoing issue and addressing a $137 billion maintenance backlog. Ask Congress to require DoD to make reports on unaccompanied housing installation conditions publicly available.
3. Improve Access to Health Care for Military Families The Ask: Service members and military families must have a better option for reporting and getting assistance with access-to-care problems within the Military Health System (MHS). MOAA is asking Congress to establish a Digital Access Assistance System for MHS patients.
4. Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans The Ask: Pass legislation to shorten how long millions of veterans must wait before receiving service-earned care and benefits.
5. Support Veteran Caregivers The Ask: Champion/cosponsor the passage of the Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act.
Pictured below, left to right, LTCOL Aric Raus, USA, Staff Assistant Michael Spero (MI-9), LCDR Rich Higgins, USN (Ret)
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Pictured below: MPACOMVC President CDR Linc Smith, USNR CALMOAA President Capt. Ramona Chavez, USAF (Ret), Rina Cai, Alameda Chapter Surviving Spouse Liaison Sue Gonzales, Maj. Sharon MacKey, USAF (Ret), LCDR Kristen Dennis, USN (Ret), MOAA Vice President Council/Chapter and Member Support CAPT Jim Carman, USN (Ret), CAPT Marvin Heinz, USN (Ret) Col. Bill Nelson, USAF (Ret) join and the California Adovcacy Team.
Pictured Above, left to right: CDR Linc Smith, USNR (Ret), Rep. Jen Kiggans (VA 02), LCDR Kristen Dennis, USN (Ret)
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Pictured Above, left to right; LTCOL Keith Beebe, USA (Ret), Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16)