President’s Page
Happy Spring! My favorite season in Maine!
Just back from another great month in Florida! While there I had a chance to connect with our chapter members (and my Scarbrough neighbors) Brad Dupee and Chris Watters. We had lunch and toured the Punta Gorda Military Museum where we saw the theatrical performance of A Few Good Men. A most memorable day!
We have a lot of events coming up that I am excited to share! First, on June 14th we will have our next quarterly luncheon at Old Fort Western in Augusta. This will be a joint venture with the Joshua Chamberlain Chapter of the Association of the Unites States Army (AUSA). Our MOAA chapter Treasurer Steve Broughall is the AUSA Chapter President, and it’s been great working with him to plan this event. June 14th is the 250th birthday of the United States Army, one year ahead of the birth of our nation in 1776. There will be several events in Augusta that day starting with a ceremony at 10 am at Fort Western, followed by community events at Mill Park. These events are being planned by the Maine Army National Guard, and we are all invited to attend. As the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Maine, I will be making some remarks at the 10:00 ceremony.
Our joint MOAA/AUSA luncheon will be held in a large event tent on the grounds of Fort Western with a nice view of the Kennebec River. We have some great speakers lined up for this event. I hope you will join me at 10am for the Ceremony at Fort Western and stay for the luncheon and tour of Fort Western. The luncheon is $20 per person which includes admission to Old Fort Western (a $13 value). Luncheon Reservations Form
Our July 31st Golf Tournament at Dunegrass Golf Club in Old Orchard Beach is also coming together! This is our major fundraiser of the year and allows us to support ROTC scholarships and other Veteran organizations. We need golfers, sponsors, prizes and a few volunteers. For more information, please contact Jack Fay, (207) 883-6447.
Last, once again we are all invited to join the NH MOAA chapter for their Annual Lobster Bake at the Portsmouth Shipyard on August 2nd . This is always a great time! Save the Date – Reservation form will be coming soon.
Hope to see you all in Augusta on June 14th !
Yours in Service,
Brenda Pennels, President
MOAA Advocacy in Action Update
This year, I represented our Chapter with RADM Joan Hunter, USPHS (Ret). Her assignments include assistant surgeon general, senior advisor to the Department of Health and Human Services, assistant secretary for Health and the U.S. Surgeon General, and was the former director of USPHS Commissioned Corps HQ. In addition, she served as an assistant joint surgeon, National Guard Bureau, where she designed and directed the National Guard psychological health program. Why was she with me? Because she was born in Lewiston, raised in Readfield and now has a home in Kennebunk, is a member of our MOAA Chapter, and has recently joined the National Board of Directors for MOAA. It was an honor for me to team together with her discussing our issues with the staffs of our delegation.
We met with Senator King and the staffs of Representatives Pingree and Golden. Due to Senator Collins scheduling conflicts, we were unable to meet with her or her staff, but we hope to have our meeting with her staff “virtually.” I can report that the staff of our delegation are well aware of the issues facing our veterans and our military. Since Joan’s medical background is in mental health and since many of these issues have a significant impact on both our military members and our veterans, much of the discussions focused on that. Military spouses unable to get jobs due to frequent moves put hardships on our junior ranks, our unaccompanied military living in substandard quarters (mold, insect infestation, etc), confusion dealing with healthcare both with the active duty and veterans, all affect the well-being on our military/veteran community. This affects readiness, recruitment, retention, and honoring our commitment to those who served.
We were also able to address issues we face in Maine. Transportations issues, especially in rural Maine, caregiver support for VETERANS who are caregivers, cost of ambulance service for all in the VHA system, adequate and timely mental health care were discussed. We will be able to follow up on these issues going forward. We are fortunate in Maine to have a great working relationship between our veteran community, State, VA, and Congressional delegation and their respective staff. Our veteran voices are being heard!
Submitted by David Patch
ROTC and JROTC Update
By the time you read this June newsletter, the ROTC Award Ceremonies will have taken place. As you know we support the Junior Programs with National MOAA certificates signed by our Chapter President and ROTC medals that the cadets may wear on their dress uniforms. The school cadre awards the certificates based on school criteria and presents the awards at their annual awards dinners. Additionally, our Chapter awards a handsome solid brass compass to these deserving cadets. For the top award winners for the Senior ROTC Programs, we also send MOAA certificates, medals and compasses. In addition, our Chapter provides a monetary scholarship to the top graduates for the Senior ROTC Detachments, one each for the two Army programs and one each for the two Navy programs. This year, the Board elected to up the award from $500 to $750 each. These awards and scholarships are made possible through the generous donations made by our own Chapter Members each year. We sincerely thank you for all your support this year and in all the previous years you have been given. Our Senior ROTC Award winners are as follows:
2025 Senior Army ROTC Award Winners
CDT Andrew D. Goodwin – UMO ROTC 2025
Cadet Andrew D. Goodwin was born and raised in South Berwick, Maine, where he attended and graduated from Marshwood High School in 2022. During his time there, he demonstrated a strong commitment to both academics and athletics, participating in football, lacrosse, and basketball. After graduation, Andrew enrolled at the University of Maine in Orono to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Encouraged by conversations with family and friends, he developed a strong interest in military service and made the decision to join the university’s Army ROTC program. After beginning the program, Andrew quickly developed an appreciation for the strength, endurance, and discipline required to excel. Motivated to challenge himself further, he chose to join the Ranger Challenge team—an elite ROTC extracurricular that showcases both physical and mental toughness. Through this experience, he has further demonstrated his athleticism and perseverance, while also building leadership skills, physical strength, and lasting bonds with fellow cadets. CDT Goodwin is married. He and his wife are expecting their first child just before he leaves for Basic Training.
CDT Assa Abel Niyongabo – USM ROTC
Assa Abel Niyongabo is a cadet in the Army ROTC program at the University of Southern Maine, pursuing a graduate degree in Policy, Planning, and Management. He is deeply committed to leadership, service, and academic excellence, striving to balance the demands of ROTC training, graduate coursework, and his role as a Senior Accountant. In addition to his academic and professional responsibilities, Assa serves part-time in the Maine Army National Guard, reflecting his ongoing dedication to public service and leadership. He aspires to become a commissioned officer in the United States Army, driven by a passion for helping others and making a meaningful impact in both the military and his local community. CDT Niyongabo lives in Gorham, ME.
2025 Senior Navy ROTC Award Winners
Midshipman Second Class Jacob Hintermaier
Jacob Hintermaier, a native of Rome, Georgia, graduated from Shady Side Academy in 2022. His educational path led him to Maine Maritime Academy. During his three years at MMA, he has been an active part of the MMA Men’s Lacrosse Team, and a student worker in the library. During the summer of 2024, MIDN further enriched his knowledge and skills by participating in a 60-day long summer internship as a Quality Management Systems Intern at Lonza Biologics. As an intern, he was able to further his knowledge of the supply chain. He will graduate in Dec. 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in International Business and Logistics.
Midshipman Second Class Carmen Braden
Carmen Braden, a native of Lawrence, KS, graduated from Lawrence HS in 2022. Her educational path led her to the University of Maine. During her 3 years at UMaine, she has been an active part of the UMaine Women’s Swim Team, a Behavioral Health Professional at an off-campus job, and an active member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. MIDN Braden also received a leadership billet as a Platoon Commander and led a Swim PT for the Fall 2024 semester. Continuing her pursuit of knowledge, MIDN is a Child Development Major with a Minor in Spanish and will graduate in the Summer of 2026. She is currently working as a Behavioral Health Professional through MAS Community Health. She hopes to learn a lot on her 1/C cruise this summer and use this in-person, hands-on opportunity to better her knowledge as she enters her final year of college.
Golf Tournament and Ball Drop Fundraiser
The countdown is on to the Southern Maine Chapter MOAA Golf Fundraiser scheduled for Wednesday, July 23 at Dunegrass Golf Course in Old Orchard Beach. We are still looking for teams and sponsors!
This year we are adding a ball drop where each person who takes a chance gets a numbered ball put into the bucket, and the closest to the pin when dropped from the fire engine wins a week’s vacation at a RCI resort.
The winner need not attend to receive the prize. Cost is $10 per ball or $25 for three balls. Proceeds from both the tournament and ball drop help our Chapter fund the ROTC Scholarship Program as well as other Veterans’ Assistance Services. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Contact Jack Fay (207.883.6447) for more information and to buy your
golf balls!
A Note from our Chapter President
About a year ago I was contacted by a Retired USPHS officer CAPT Alan Echt from Ohio who asked if I could help change the statute in Maine regarding state tax exemption for retired pay. He had a colleague still serving in the USPHS that was interested in retiring in Maine, but then realized that his retired pay would be subject to state income tax. Maine statute currently specifies that retirees from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard will be exempt from state tax on their retired pay, but it does not include the Space Force, USPHS or NOAA. I enlisted the help of several people including the VP of Government Affairs at my company who has a lot of experience in our state legislature, a key Senator who agreed to take up the charge and RADM Joan Hunter, USPHS (Ret). Joan is a member of our Southern Maine MOAA chapter (lives part-time in Maine) and as you may know is on the Board of Directors for MOAA National.
Together, this team crafted and submitted a bill to the State Taxation Committee: LD 366 – An Act to Ensure Consistency in Income Tax Deductions for Retired Members of the Uniformed Services. At the Public Hearing earlier this Spring, both Joan and I testified in person before the committee in support of the bill and were joined virtually by CAPT Echt. We are still awaiting the final decision of the legislature but are very optimistic that this bill will pass. It’s been exciting to be a part of impacting legislation on our state – all spurred by the initial contact through MOAA!