Share your military experience and perspectives in a 5 Minute Salute TV Interview with CAPT Tony LaVecchia…
Interviews with MOAA Nassau Members include:
CAPT Rich Dromerhauser, USN (Ret) COL Julie Stola, USAF (Ret) CAPT Tracy Connors, USN (Ret)
COL Jeffrey Carr, USA (Ret) VADM Ted Branch, USN (Ret) CAPT Dwight Collins, USCG (Ret)
11 Nov 2026 – Fernandina Beach Veterans Day Parade
10 Nov 2026 – Lunch with Mike and Susan Doran talking about their Loop transit
Our speakers were Mike (past chapter president) and Susan Doran, and they briefed our chapter on their 8 month adventure completing, The Great Loop. The Great Loop is a roughly 6,000‑mile circumnavigation of the eastern United States and parts of Canada, completed by cruising interconnected waterways such as the Intracoastal Waterway, Hudson River, Great Lakes, inland rivers, and the Gulf of Mexico. It typically takes about 12 months and involves around 100 locks, depending on route choices.
7–8 November 2026 – Right Whale Festival Booth
WHAT WE ARE THERE TO DO – Promote MOAA and our Junior ROTC scholarships:
Explain the scholarship. We fund $2,500 scholarships for West Nassau High School Air Force JROTC seniors. Two this year — a $5,000 goal.
Invite. MOAA Membership applications for anyone who serves, served, or is a military spouse.
28 Oct 2026 – MOAA Officer Call at the American Legion
10 Oct 2026 – Lunch Member Meeting with Amanda and Will Stanger Veterans Healthcare
This meeting covered Veterans Healthcare Advantage Plans with Amanda and Will Stanger. They covered how their plans work with VA, Medicare and Tricare for Life to save you money.
Veterans often keep VA or Tricare For Life benefits but add a Veterans Healthcare
Advantage Plan for broader provider access, extra benefits, and potential Medicare Part
B givebacks. Advantage Plans do not replace VA Healthcare: They complement your
current insurance coverage. Each individual and couple are different when they
discussed how to save money and expand medical benefits. If you want additional
information on Veterans Healthcare Advantage Plans please contact Amanda and Will
Stanger at astanger@veteran.healthcare 719 298-2288 or
will.stanger@vetern.healthcare 925 505-8060.
8 Sept 2026 – Dinner Member Meeting with Col George Zamka
Our speaker will be George Zamka, COL USMC (ret) former Space Shuttle Astronaut. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in May 1984. After basic flight training, he was trained as an A-6E pilot at Whidbey Island, Washington, from 1987 to 1988. He then flew with Marine All Weather Attack Squadron VMA(AW)-242 in El Toro, California. He served in administration and flight safety roles and as squadron weapons and tactics instructor. In 1990, he trained to be an F/A-18 pilot and was assigned to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA(AW)-121, also in El Toro. He flew the F/A-18D Night Attack Hornet during overseas deployments to Japan, Korea, Singapore and Southwest Asia. Zamka flew 66 combat missions over occupied Kuwait and Iraq during Desert Storm. In 1993, he served with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines in Camp Pendleton, California, and the 31st Marine expeditionary Unit in the Western Pacific. In 1998 he was selected for the astronaut program. He served in various
technical and leadership roles in the Astronaut Office, including space rendezvous and proximity operations, landing and rollout instructor and lead for shuttle systems within the Shuttle Operations Branch. In 2007, he completed his first spaceflight as pilot on STS-120. For his second spaceflight, Zamka commanded the crew of STS-130, which flew in February 2010. Colonel Zamka has logged more than 692 hours in space. In March 2013, Zamka retired from NASA. He is now serving as the Deputy Associate Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, for Commercial Space Transportation.
2 Aug 2026 – Jumbo Shrimp Game
14 Jul 2026 – Golf Outing
25 June 2026 – Officer Call at The Brew Shed
28 April 2026 – Officer Call at First Love Brewery
March 2026 JROTC Awards Ceremony
March 2026 Chapter Meeting
February 2026 Officer Call – Disco Witch
January 2026 Chapter Meeting
Nassau County Chapter Christmas Party – 2025
We had over 45 people attend the annual Christmas party. The food and company were exceptional, as well as the music (thank you Lou and Joyce) and Tony’s jokes. It was very nice to see some old and new faces in the crowd. This year we changed it up a bit and gave out some restaurant gift certificates, wine, bourbon and centerpieces. We want to thank Kathleen Sharp, Chong Murphy, Sebina Jarvis, Kathleen Kriete and all the volunteers for their help making this one of the best MOAA parties so far. Christy and Payton were wonderful as always and I have to say the food was very delicious.
Veterans Day Parade – 2025
Officers Call at The Surf Restaurant and Bar – 21 Oct 2025
Chapter Meeting with Hupp Huppmann as the Guest Speaker – 14 Oct 2025
MOAA President Visit – 9 Sep 2025
Donation Drive at Yulee Publix – 7 June 2025
JROTC Awards Ceremony/Dinner – May 2025 (Olivia Cauchon)
Officer Call April 2025 – First Love Brewery
April 2025 Chapter Meeting
Officer Call February 2025 – Gator’s Dockside
Chapter Christmas Party December 2024
June Officer’s Call
We didn’t miss the June 20th Officer’s Call Muster…
Officer’s Call Muster was held during our June no-host Social at the Hidden Crab, where they “specialize in crafting culinary experiences that evoke the comforting essence of down-home cooking and the flavorful indulgence of Low Country boils.” We appreciated their commitment to creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
June Chapter Meeting
(L-R) Alicia Dohm, Steve Dohm, Cadet Dohm, (mother) Christina Chaison, CAPT Mike Doran, Chapter President, and LTC Gene Kilcawley, Chapter ROTC Director.
Memorial Day 2024
2024 Memorial Day Service for E.H. (Sonny) Mann, CAPT (ret) USN and H.J. McFarland, LTC (ret) USA.
Photos courtesy of CDR Richard Sharp, USN (Ret.)
Rep. Black Highlights May Meeting
“State Rep. Black gave us his perspective on the current situation in the Florida legislature regarding several different bills,” CAPT Bob Bell reported.
Socials
- February 2023 Social Picture at Mocama Brewery
- April 2023 Social at Duck Pinz
- February 2024 at Disco Witch Brewing
- April 2024 at Cidery
The April No-host Social at the A1A Cidery in Fernandina Beach, brought 25 Members together to enjoy being treated to various ciders, craft beer, or other delicious drinks.
The Chapter celebrated its “recent awards that recognized our chapter as one of the best in the country by the national MOAA headquarters,” Chapter President CAPT Michael Doran, pointed out. “Our newsletter (CDR Richard Sharp) and website (LCDR Joe Blanchard, 2023), were also recognized and awarded for their excellence. Additionally, we celebrated our 10th year as a chapter,” he reported.
General Meetings
- VP Tony LaVecchia provided Members with thought-provoking, illustrated summary of recent visit to Vietnam and Singapore.
- Membership Meeting 9 April 2024, Fernandina
- Charlie Finnagin, Immediate Past Chapter President receives award
- John Crawford, Nassau County Clerk of Courts, Speaker
- Bob Springer, NASA Astronaut
- Paul Booton’s Going away cake – Feb. 2024
- Awards
- MIA Museum, Cecil Field Speaker – Feb 2024
Advocacy in Action
The Nassau County Chapter of the Military Officers Association (MOAA) joined chapters nationwide to send representatives to Washington to advocate for legislation correcting unjust pay reductions for medically retired combat-wounded veterans, restoring housing allowances for active duty military personnel reduced by budget cuts, and protecting TRICARE For Life, a critical military health care benefit.