About Coachella Valley Chapter of MOAA
The mission of CVC-MOAA is to support directly and through our military community. This includes active, retired, former commissioned and warrant officers of all seven uniformed services including the National Guard and Reserve components and their surviving spouses; support the membership in any way possible to preserve and enhance their rights benefits and entitlements, and quality of life.
Latest News
December 2025 CVC-MOAA Date Change and Other Updates
Date Published: 01/06/2026
HAPPY NEW YEARS, MEMBERS!
DECEMBER 2025 MEETING
In December, the Chapter held its annual Holiday Celebration at the Oasis Country Club in Palm Desert. Forty people attended the event bringing unwrapped children’s toys for the Toys for Tots Program. The afternoon entertainment was LeeAnn Warren, a tribute singer. She started her performance with Christmas carols. We were served a delicious meal by Oasis CC of tenderloin or salmon with a wedge salad and tiramisu for dessert. Ms. Warren finished her performance with 1940’s songs and military music. Her last song was “White Christmas” ending the day reminiscent to the famous holiday classic movie, “White Christmas”. This was an excellent ending to a very successful year for the Chapter.
CVC-MOAA DATE CHANGEDue to unforeseen circumstances, the Coachella Valley Chapter - MOAA general membership meeting has a date change. Please change your calendar dates.
The new date for the January Chapter meeting is WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026 AT 11:30 AM at the Oasis Country Club in Palm Desert. The choice of lunch is either a Rueben sandwich or a Papaya Chicken Salad for $30. The guest speaker is one of our own, CPT John Schleimer. He will discuss the history of U.S. Army Vietnam helicopters. John was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. Email LTC Alan Tibbetts today to make your reservation and lunch choice at
Other CVC-MOAA General Membership Dates:
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 11:30 am*
Speaker has not been confirmed
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 11:30 am
Speaker is Author Todd Anton, who will share his stories on sports personalities that went to War
Thursday, April 9 2026, 11:30 am*
Speaker is CPT David Daly, USMC, who served five combat tours in support of Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Ensuring Freedom. He will talked about the Wounded Warrior Project.
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 5 pm*
JROTC Scholarship Awards
*Change from previous schedule. These changes allows CVC-MOAA to have the main meeting room at Oasis Country Club with a sound system. It also lets us be the only organization meeting that day.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - CPT John Schleimer, USA
This year, the Board would like to highlight one of our current members each month. These highlights will focus on their military experience and background. Because we have one of our own speaking this month, our first member highlight is CPT John Schleimer, USA.
John Schleimer has been a member since 2019. He and his wife, Celeste, has been a huge supporter of our JROTC scholarship program by donating $5,000 each year to fund the Hunter Lopez Scholarship and the John and Celeste Schleimer Scholarship. John served as our PSC-MOAA president from 2022-24. John is also on the Board of Trustees for the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert and served as Chair of the Indian Wells Planning Commission.
John Schleimer went to Officers Candidate School at Ft. Knox, KY and graduated in the top 10 of his class in September 1967 and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. After being commissioned, he was accepted to primary helicopter school and went to Ft. Wolters, TX for his initial training. He completed his flight instruction at Ft. Rucker, AL in 1968. He applied for and was accepted at the Institute of Aerospace Safety and Management at the University of Southern California and graduated in the top ten of his class in September 1968.
In October 1968, he was assigned to the 10th Aviation Battalion in Dong Ba Tinh, South Vietnam (II Corps) and served as battalion’s safety officer and flew UH-1 Huey combat missions.
After being promoted to Captain in 1969, he became operations officer for the 243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company, also located at Dong Ba Tinh. He was trained to fly CH-47 Chinook helicopters as part of his assignment. Overall he had over 200 combat sorties to his credit.
After his tour in Vietnam, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Board of Aviation Accident Research at Ft. Rucker, AL where he taught aviation safety to Army Flight commands within the United States and worldwide including Germany, Panama, Hawaii, and Alaska. After ending his active duty service in 1973, he joined the California Army National Guard and flew CH-47’s for the 140th Aviation Company in Stockton, CA until 1978.
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE TOUR
The March Air Reserve Base Tour has been scheduled for Thursday, March 26, 2026. There are only 35 seats available, so sign up as soon as possible. The itinerary includes leaving Sams Club, Palm Desert on a large Cardiff passenger bus and travel to March Air Reserve Base.
Upon arrival we will transfer to a base bus for a tour of the UAF’s (drone area), C135 area, C17 area and a possible EOD presentation. Lunch will be on the base’s Backstreet Grill Club and a request for a speaker from the Space Available Office who will discuss options to fly space available to the attendees. After lunch, we will return to the Cardiff bus and then visit the March Field Air Museum before heading back to the Valley. Cost is $95 a person to include the bus, lunch and a guided tour at the museum.
Send your checks in today to reserve your seat on the bus. Last year we filled a 56 passenger bus, so there will be lots of interest. Mail the attached sign up sheet and check to MAJ Terrie Heer, 82770 Odlum Drive, Indio, CA 92201. Email
MARVYN’S MAGIC THEATER
Tickets will be on sell at the January General Membership meeting for the MARVYN’S Magic Theater’s act of John Shryock and Mari Lynn for February 19, 2026. MARVYN’S Magic Theater has allowed CVC-MOAA to purchase the tickets at a discounted rate to have a fundraiser. This is an intimate venue known for high-quality magic shows featuring a host like Jeff Hobson and pre-show entertainment like close up magic and live piano music, creating a fun immersive experience with no bad seats. Tickets are $75.00. The CVC-MOAA Chapter will be refunded $25 for each ticket sold.
The date is February 19, 2026 at 6 p.m. to see the magic of John Shryock and Mari Lynn. John and Mari Lynn masterfully incorporate skillful magic and grand illusion with drama, dance and comedy, creating a mystical world of laughter, wonder, and amazement for their audiences. John, a popular entertainer known for his million-dollar smile, has performed in over 100 cities across three continents.
Audiences worldwide have enjoyed John’s energetic personality, captivating “sleight of hand,” and spellbinding illusions. His impressive skills earned a command performance at President George W. Bush’s Gala Inaugural Ball and numerous appearances on the nationally broadcast television series “Masters of Illusion.” John is also a favorite performer at Caesars Magical Empire at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and is one of the few magicians in the world well-versed enough to have performed in all three showrooms at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA.
John is the 1992 winner of “The Battle of Magicians” and is the author of a book on magic entitled “Sleighty Tricky.” When John does not perform on the world’s stages or create innovative magic, he tours as a guest lecturer for various magicians societies. John and Mari Lynn’s high-energy charismatic stage personalities are infectious and the audience experiences this almost as if they were performing the magic themselves. John and Mari Lynn are regularly featured on television and in top casinos, night clubs, cruise ships, conventions, and resorts across the globe, leaving audiences exhilarated and wholly entertained.
Tickets will be sold at the January and February CVC-MOAA Membership meetings or call MAJ Terrie Heer at 503-347-7614 or email
GREAT COMMERCIAL WITH NO WORDS NEEDED
MAJ Pete Fleury, USA, Ret. - a new member - sent a great commercial produced by Food City, a grocery store chain in Arizona and further east. He wanted chapter members to view, it if they wanted. It can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoABty_zE00. Give a look, it’s a very heartwarming 60 second spot.
MEMBERSHIP DUES
If you have not paid your dues for 2026, now is the time. Attached is a membership renewal form. Your payment and donations to our purpose-filled community projects keeps our Chapter alive and power-filled! As of December 31, 2025, our Chapter has 50 members. This is up from last year’s count of 23 members. As you can see, the Board of Directors has been working hard getting new members. Our goal was 15 new members for this year, thus far, we have recruited 8 - 7 more to go. Every member should be challenged to participate in the effort of finding and recruiting new members. Attached is a benefits list you can use to recruit a member. Membership losses are going to happen, but we need to replace those losses not only for financial stability and creating an exciting and vibrant Chapter, but for giving us more clout in Sacramento and Washington DC.
DON’T FORGET TO CHANGE YOUR CALENDAR DATE FOR THE CVC-MOAA JANUARY GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING TO WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026 AT 11:30 AM!
CVC-MOAA November General Membership Meeting
Date Published: 11/11/2025
Happy Veterans Day!
Thank you for your service! November is a busy month for Veterans, but don’t forget to sign up for the CVC-MOAA General membership meeting, Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 11:30 am at the Oasis Country Club.
This is our Membership Celebration and Drive. Bring a potential member and put your name in an opportunity drawing for a $300 gift card to Stater Brothers. Click here to see the event flyer for more information.
Your guest gets a free lunch and if he/she joins, they get one year of free membership to CVC-MOAA and 10% off of national MOAA membership. Capt Jim Carman USN (ret) and Vice President of Members/Chapters from national MOAA will be our guest speaker.
EMAIL LTC Alan Tibbetts today to make your reservation,
NEVER STOP SERVING
Terrie Heer
MAJ, USA (Ret)
President
CVC-MOAA
Passing of a Chapter Member
Date Published: 10/14/2025
Dear Chapter Members,
It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of Capt Donald Ricketts, USN (Ret) a cherished member of the Coachella Valley Chapter of the Military Officers Association on October 14, 2025. He was greatly valued as a member. During his tenure with our Chapter, he served on the Board of Directors for many years, volunteered to assist in our first Silent Auction in 2021 and developed great friendships among our members.
Don died peacefully at home with his wife, Fran and two daughters beside him. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time. We mourn their loss and hold his family in our hearts.
A memorial service has not been decided. The family welcomes any messages of condolence, which can be sent to his wife, Fran Ricketts.
Our thoughts are with Don and his family during this difficult time as we remember his contributions to our Chapter and his friendship will always be remembered.
NEVER STOP SERVING
Terrie Heer
MAJ, USA, (Ret)
President
CVC-MOAA
