About Our Chapter
WHO WE ARE
The State of Florida chartered the Sun City Center Chapter of MOAA as a corporation on 10 September 1990. MOAA was founded as The Retired Officers Association (TROA) in 1929 to provide general assistance and advice to military officers. At the beginning of WWII, TROA’s leaders reorganized and expanded the organization, moving to Washington, D.C., in 1944 with a membership of 2,600. At the time of the charter issuance on 7 April 1990, it was under TROA.
In January 2003, the organization changed its name to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). Now headquartered in Alexandria, VA, its membership is open to active duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired, and former commissioned and warrant officers of the following uniformed services: Army (USA), Marine Corps (USMC), Navy (USN), Air Force (USAF), US Space Force (USSF), Coast Guard (USCG), Public Health Service (USPHS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Board of Directors may also offer Honorary Membership to allied, uniformed military services officers. In our Chapter charter, we agreed to promote the aims of MOAA, as described below, and included a charge to perform services considered by our Board of Directors to be beneficial to the local community.
We also agreed to be an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization. MOAA is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization. With about 370,000 members from every branch of service, it is a powerful force speaking for a strong national defense and represents the interests of military officers at every stage of their careers. While MOAA advocates a strong national defense, it does not, as an association, become involved in military strategy or weapons systems of the various services. While permitted by law to lobby, its status as a tax-exempt veterans’ organization precludes it from participating in political activities.
MOAA’s purpose has grown to include career transition assistance, member products, military benefits counseling, educational assistance to children of military families, and strong involvement in military professionalism activities. It is currently the nation’s largest and most influential association of military officers. MOAA is the leading voice on compensation and benefits matters for all military community members. We should all be proud of the respect gained by MOAA in our nation’s capital as a voice for military personnel.
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Sun City Center Chapter (FL42) is to promote the purposes and objectives of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA); foster fraternal relations among retired, active duty, and former officers of the uniformed services and their reserve components; protect the rights and interests of active duty, retired, and reserve components personnel of the uniformed services and their dependents and survivors; provide valuable services for members and their dependents and survivors and serve the community and the nation.
Chapter LEADERSHIP
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Director/Newsletter Editor
Chaplain
Director/Webmaster/JROTC
Immediate Past President
Director/Surviving Spouse Liaison
Past Presidents
2024-2025
Bill Kirkpatrick, CDR, USN (Retired)
2022-2023
Eunice Patxot, COL, USA (Retired)
2020-2021
James Haney, Major, USMC (Retired)
2018-2019
Benny Blackshire, LTC, USA (Retired)
2016-2017
Charles R. Conover, LTC, USA (Retired)
2014-2015
Thomas P. Brown, LT, USN (Former)
2013
Tom R. Kilbourn, Maj, USAF (Retired)
2012
Paul A. Wheat, LTC, USA (Retired)
2011
James D. Shumway, COL, USA (Retired)
2010
Kirk E. Faryniasz, Maj, USAF (Retired)
2009
Doris Glass, Surviving Spouse
2008
Hugh C. Haworth, CAPT, USN (Retired)
LIAISONS AND COMMITTEES
HOSPITALITY
Betsy Korn
RECEPTION
Michelle Halcomb/Tom Smith/ Laura Smith
Memorial Day
Dan Matz/Steve Browning/Ferris Garrett
Fundraising
Michelle Halcomb/ Jeannie Stratis/ Eunice Patxot

