Shipmates and Ladies,

We are fast approaching our 2011 Reunion to be held in Albuquerque, NM October 11th – 16th. John O’Malia has put together what I think will be another great reunion. You will find all the information in this Bulletin. So make your reservation early, get ready for all the thrills and excitement that lies ahead.

I want to announce to the membership that IAW the By-laws, the Board of Directors (BOD) voted to appoint Frank Cantrell to the BOD’s and then voted him to the Officer Position of Master at Arms. He will serve out the remainder of Sid Hart’s term.

Our Historian, Mike Snyder, will not stand for reelection to the Board and I am still looking for one of our members in good standing to volunteer for a position on the Board. If you are interested in serving on the Board please let me or Chuck Weber know of your desire to serve.

The 2012 Reunion has been scheduled for September 17-23, 2012 at the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Association has placed a deposit at the Hotel to secure those dates. Bill Beard is the Host with help from his NW School classmates. He is well underway with his planning and you can look forward to a short briefing at the Albuquerque Reunion.

Jim Hambley

To my fellow members of the NNWA and those who just read this in the on-line newsletter? I feel we have had a productive two years in recruiting new members and I hope to meet many of you at the REUNION this October in Albuquerque. On Facebook there is another Nuclear Weapons Group that appears to be made up mostly of the people who went to A School at North Island. We need to encourage these individuals to join us so they can see what it was like before wooden bombs. I know that many of our younger members may never have been to the weapons museum that we will be touring. This museum will give you the full and comprehensive history of US available except for the Sandia Labs. In addition, if it is open by then there will be a collection of Soviet Weapon systems. Now the whole family will be able to see this. The view from Sandia Crest is quite impressive also. Then we also have the tour to Los Alamos, that’s the one I’m looking forward to. This should be one of our best get together yet. John has done superb job of setting up for this. If you don’t want to drive it or fly do what I’m doing, take the Train. Hope to see you ALL THERE!

Larry J. Sneide
Vice President

Secretary Report

I don’t know about you, but going to Albuquerque is like going home again. Most of us started in the program here and feel a kind of attachment to the city and Sandia and Kirkland AFB. Much has changed since we were here learning our jobs and John has put together a terrific reunion schedule that will remind us of our start and where we are today. Look forward to seeing all the old faces and a lot of our new members this year.

Dave Cobb
Secretary

Let’s all welcome our new and reinstated members who have joined our organization since the last newsletter.

We now have 691 members listed on the membership roster, 435 members in good standing, 53 life members (spouses of deceased members) 202 past members (members that have not paid their dues for the past three years). One Honorary member (NAAV). Past membership continue to Grow, members in good standing are declining steadily. If you know the status of any of our past members please encourage them rejoin the organization. Past members will not receive newsletters or reunion information until dues are brought up to date. Again this is an effective policy due to the cost of mailing newsletters and reunion information. If you are unsure that your dues are up to date and receive newsletters by mail the date on the upper right corner of the mailing label shows the month and year to which your dues are paid. If you receive your newsletter electronic and wish to know your dues date log onto (navynucweps.com). The dues date will be listed in the dues date column on the right of your name on the membership roster. Some of our members find it convenient to pay several years in advance. This can save you postage and the members of the board lots of time. Membership Dues notices are being sent out to members who dues are in the arrears, if you receive a notice in error. Go ahead and send me more money.

The current membership roster is posted on our website. Members not on line may request a hard copy of the roster by calling or writing Frank M. Kelly, 1087 Frank Kelly Rd. Society Hill, SC 29593 PH# 843-378-4026. For our survival it is imperative that we keep our roster up to date. Please review the roster and notify the Treasurer or any member of the board of any changes to your current status

Financial Report
We have $11,888.00 on deposit with Wells Fargo (Wachovia) and no outstanding Debt. $3000.00 advance has been sent to our Albuquerque reunion Host. $1067.00 deposit has been made on our Albuquerque tours. Also a $500.00 deposit has been made to the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota for our 2012 Reunion.

Frank M. Kelly
Treasurer and Keeper of the Roster

Fellow Dragon Keepers, Please find below some items that I think you may find of interest.

1. Supreme Court Overturns the VA. The US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of veterans regarding their appeals of claims to the Veteran Court of Appeals. No longer is the 120 day time limit applied if the veteran reasonably requires
   more time to gather evidence for his appeal. The Court held that the VA was much too strict in applying its 120 day rule to the detriment of its mission to assist veterans. This came after a veteran required an extra 16 days to
   obtain supporting evidence for his appeal of a claim denial.
2. Tips for filing a VA Claim
   • Always obtain the assistance of a County Service Officer or a qualified and certified Service Officer of a national veterans organization (such as the Legion, DAV or VFW, etc.). They have credentials to prove their
     competence. These professionals will ask you the right questions, will help you with the following tasks, and will follow up on the status of your claim.
   • Gather all relevant statements and records, dependency evidence, medical findings etc. Take all of this with you to your meeting with the Service Officer.
   • Do not answer any letters from the VA regarding your claim until you contact your Service Officer first. The VA is currently sending claimants a letter offering a “fast track” on their claim, but by accepting this you have
     to relinquish several of your rights.
   • If you discover or develop any new evidence for your claim after it is submitted, contact your Service Officer immediately with it. Do not submit it directly to the VA.
   • If the VA orders you to any C&P examinations or appointments, make sure you show up early to check in. If you cannot be there at the time required, the orders will give you a telephone number to call to re-schedule. Do
     this as far in advance as you can.
3. Social Security Special Military Credit. Several of you have contacted me regarding this item in my January column. Many of you have had military service that spans the Dec 1967 – Jan 1968 change in the Social Security rule. Most of
   you have reported that, after checking with your local Social Security office, all of your military service has been credited. I called my local office and had to go through three different representatives before I could even find
   one that understood what I was stalking about. I have put this info out to all of the other veteran’s organizations in which I am a Service Officer, so I have received a lot of feedback on this item. Here is what has seemed to
   emerge:
   • It varies from office to office whether military service is given the special credit.
   • 
     Retirees whose service spans the 1967-86 rule change seem to have all of their service credited. Veterans with one enlistment spanning that time seem to have not received the credit. So, just to be sure, make the
     telephone call and get the few extra bucks to which you are entitled.
     
     
4. Post 9/11 GI Bill is signed into law. While most of this new law will affect more recent veterans, there are some changes that apply to all. These include:
   • 
     The funeral or burial payment for veterans who die in a VA facility or who are eligible to be buried in a VA cemetery will increase from $300 to $700. Additionally, after 2011 the new amount will be adjusted annually for
     inflation.
     
   • 
     The Service members’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA) will give individuals a “private right of action” to sue those who violate their legal rights. They will no longer have to wait for enforcement action by a federal agency.
     
   • The SCRA will also allow for the DOJ to bring civil actions against SCRA violators and those found guilty will have to pay for court costs and service members’ attorney fees.
   • The full provisions of the bill can be found at www.gibill.va.gov
5. Federal Budget impacts on Veteran Benefits. I don’t need to tell you about everyone’s frustration with our federal government’s inability to pass a final budget for FY2011. It was supposed to be finished, by existing
   law, not later than 30 Sep 2010. As of this writing we are still on another continuing resolution. And, of course, little work has been started on the FY2012 budget. The VA has issued an Impact Statement based on the most
   current estimates of reduced VA appropriations. This is a very long document; I will give you just the highlights below.
   

Service to veterans NOT impacted by reduced appropriations:

Stay tuned for more impacts in the 2012 budget if more significant reductions are made.

Yours in service,

Chuck Weber
Registered Veterans Service Officer
NNWASO@ptd.net or
VetSO@ptd.net

The NNWA Bylaws require that half of our Board of Directors positions must stand for election each year.

This year there are again five positions up for election. If you wish to nominate someone for the Board, please submit the nomination to me by email at NNWASO@PTD.NET and I will contact the individual to confirm their acceptance of the nomination. You may also submit your own name as a nomination.

Nominations will be re-opened at the annual business meeting and additional nominations may be made from the floor then.. All nominees will need to be present at the meeting OR they may submit a letter in advance to the Board stating that they are willing to accept the nomination for a position on the Board if they are unable to attend the meeting. Voting will occur under new business at the business meeting. Following the business meeting, the Board then meets to elect its open officer positions.

I will contact our current Board members regarding their interest in remaining on the Board. The Nominations Committee may make nominations for their continuance at the annual business meeting. This year we know for sure that at least one Director position will not be filled by an incumbent. With that at least one Officer position will also be vacant.

There are two conditions precedent to being elected to the Board of Directors:

1. The nominee must be a regular member in good standing with currently paid dues, and
2. The nominee must have email capability (due to electronic voting requirements of our Incorporating State).

Again, the strength of our association lies in the strength of our members who are willing to volunteer their time to further our association’s goals. If you are personally willing (or know another member who may be willing) to serve our association, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For planning purposes, I will need to receive this contact by the end of August.

Chuck Weber
Chairman, Nominations & Elections

Master at Arms

Hello Shipmates. It is with mixed emotions that I am your Master-At-Arms once again. To lose a great shipmate like Sid is tough, but I will do my best to uphold his standards while serving in this position. If I may be of service to any of you, please feel free to contact me by phone or email

26th Annual Reunion
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Wednesday, October 12th through Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Hotel reservations must be made no later than September 21, 2011.

Note: The completed Reservations form and Check must be received by the NNWA Treasurer NLT August 15, 2011.

Mark these dates on your calendar NOW.

Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown
2600 Louisiana Boulevard N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87112

Reservations: 1-800-325-3535

$79 per night plus tax. Rate is good 2 days before and after
the reunion. Ask for the Navy Nuclear Weapons Association Reunion

Bus tour of the Turquoise Trail via Madrid, then onto the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos. We will return through the beautiful Jemez Mountains, with a stop at the Valle Caldera. A buy your own lunch stop will be at the Buffalo Thunder Casino in Pojoaque.

A tour of the Defense Nuclear Weapons School unclassified weapons display. This school traces its history back to the Manhattan Project. A buy your own lunch stop at the Golden Corral will complete the tour.

* A package tour of the Sandia Peak tram with dinner at Sandiagos Restaurant, located at the base of the tram. Those not wanting to ride the tram can join the others for dinner at a reduced package price. Transportation and dinner is included in the price

*The elevation at the top of the tram is over 10,000 feet above sea level. Those with medical issues may want to take this into consideration. Temperatures can be quite cold at that elevation so dress warm.

RVers are welcome at Kirtland AFB Family Campground on a first come, first served basis, for $18 @ night. The phone # there is: 505-846-0337

There is KOA Campground located just off Interstate 40 from the Juan Tabo exit. Prices range from $40-$45 @ night. The phone # there is: 505-296-2729