Date Published: 07/01/2026
Members,
Lots of activity has been percolating this month for our next season of meetings and fundraising events.
Our first summer “dark” gathering of members was June 18, 2026, and we had 17 members present. There was much conversation, a veteran’a discount from Burgers and
Beers, and a good time. There are three more gatherings scheduled this summer at Burgers and Beers in LaQuinta near Coscto. Those dates are:
July 16, 2025 at 11:30 am
August 20, 2026 at 11:30 am
September 17, 2026 at 11:30 am
Here are more dates that you will want to remember:
October 15, 2026 - General Membership Meeting - Palm Springs Air Museum
October 22, 2026 - March Air Force Reserve Base & Museum Tour
November 11, 2026 - Veterans Day Auction and Dinner, Trilogy HOA
November 19, 2026 - General Membership Mtg - Speaker: Todd Anton -“When Football Went
To War”
December 10, 2026 - General Membership Mtg - Holiday Lunch
December 2026 - Date TBD - Hockey Game Fundraiser
January 14, 2027 -General Membership Mtg
January 2027 - Date TBD - Maryvn’s Magic Theater Fundraiser
February 11, 2027 - General Membership and Membership Drive Mtg - Speaker: CAPT Marv Heinze, MOAA Board Member
February 2027 - Date TBD Acuisure BB Game Fundraiser
March 11, 2027 - General Membership Mtg
March 2027 - Date TBD - Best Ball Night Golf at Indio Lights
April 8, 2027 - General Membership and Annual Meeting
May 12, 2027 - Leadership and Scholarship Dinner
PLEASE NOTE: TWO DATES HAVE CHANGED - The two functions in November have moved up in dates. The CVC-MOAA Veterans Auction and Dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at Trilogy HOA. Due to that moved, we also changed the general membership meeting to Thursday, November 19, 2026. Todd Anton who spoke to our Chapter in March is returning. His topic will be “When Football Went to War.” If you were there in March, you know he has been one of the best speakers we have had in the last two years. I personally am excited for his return.
SEES CANDY - We have been contacted by See’s Candy to sell their chocolates this Fall as a fundraiser. CVC-MOAA will receive from 15 to 50% of the profit for the candy we sell. We will start taking orders at the October meeting and have it delivered in November, plus we will be selling actual boxes of See’s candy at the November/December meetings. We believe this will raise at least $600 for the Chapter. Start thinking about the holidays and the sweets you might need.
COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS HOCKEY NIGHT. This week, I had a meeting with the Group Sales Manager for the Firebirds. We will be reserving 60 center court seats for an upcoming hockey game in the November - December timeframe. (We are waiting for the schedule to be released to pick a date). Tickets will be $75 a ticket and the Chapter will retain $10 per each ticket sold. We will be able to add tickets and then also release tickets without any obligations. This will bring in needed signing, but it will be hard to place a value on the promotion we will receive from attending the game. Firebirds are big on “fan experience” and has opened many options for us to participate in at the game. One such experience is that one of our members will be ask to participate in their “Hero’s” part of the game. More information is forthcoming.
CVC-MOAA VETERANS DAY AUCTION AND DINNER. As noted above, the date of this event has changed to Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The committee is already meeting and seeking out auction items. This year, we have created strong committee chairs that will be responsible for their areas. We hope that each of you would be willing to assist in one of the committees, This is our largest fundraiser of the year and helped us last year to give out four $3,000 scholarships. Listed below is the list of the committee chairs. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, I encourage you to contact me or one of the chairpersons.
Project Chair - MAJ Terrie Heer
Auction Committee Chair - COL Kathleen O’Regan
Marketing Chair - Gary Heer
Ticket Sales Chair - MacKinsey Simmons, Trilogy HOA
Auction Registration.Check Out Chair - CDR Matt Stone
VFW Donation Collection Chair - Flavia Abel
Runner Coordinator Chair - LTC Pete Shaner
Security Coordinator Chair - CPT Jim McIntosh
STAY ALERT: PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MEMBERSHIP SCAMS! National MOAA often uses email and online channels to communicate with its members about their membership status. However, they realize it may sometimes be difficult to discern legitimate messaging from scams. If you receive an email or online message about your membership that seems suspicious, do not respond. Contact MOAA’s Member Center immediately at 800-234-6622 to verify its legitimacy.
MOAA provides scams prevention resources at MOAA.org/scams that can help you combat all types of fraud. Some MOAA specific details that may help you spot a scam messaging:
- Life members whose dues are paid in full will never be asked for additional dues payments.
- Spouses of deceased Life members inherit their membership at no additional cost.
- Spouses are not eligible for national MOAA membership; MOAA will never solicit a spouse to join. (Spouses are eligible to join the Coachella Valley Chapter-MOAA Auxiliary Unit)
- Basic and Premium members may receive renewal or upgrade communications from MOAA via mail, email, text message, or phone.
If you are unsure whether a message is authentic, DO NOT REPLY to the message - contact Member Service Center at 800-234-6622.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - CPT KENNETH (KEN) MC COOL
“A long time ago, in a land far away” likely applies to most of us who served in the military. In Ken McCool’s case, his first memory was of one of his uncles who served as a tail gunner on a B-17 during WWII. The uncle did make it home.
The first direct military involvement for Ken began in 1966 when he applied for and was accepted in the Air Force Officer Training School. He had just completed his Master of Science degree in mathematics, which was deemed appropriate for meteorology program at Texas A&M University. In twelve months, he took thirteen courses in meteorology and one course in astronomy that resulted in an Air Force Certificate of Completion (essentially the equivalent of a BS degree in meteorology).
After finishing the program at Texas A&M, Ken was stationed at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth Texas, a SAC base - 22nd Weather Squadron, 26th Bomb Wing. Ken joined the military to see the world, yet he was still in Texas. He gave weather briefings for all types of training flights from fighter jets to KC-135s and B-52s for about a year. When the Wing was deployed to Andersen AFB on Guam. (Ken had never been on an airplane until that time.) he became the Wing Weather Officer. While on Guam, Ken flew on several B-52 bombing missions over Vietnam but at that time there was no particular concerns as they were at 38,000 to 40,000 feet with flak well below the flight level.
Upon returning to Carswell AFB, Ken remained as a Wing Weather Officer and interim Detachment Commander until his separation in 1970.
After his military separation from the USAF, he began a PhD program in mathematics at the University of North Texas. Most well known alum was “Mean Joe Green” who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After finishing is doctorate, he taught at Mountain View College of the Dallas County Community College, which just happened to have an Aviation Technology Program. One of the course was Aviation Meteorology, which he taught.
In 1980, Ken wrote a book, AVIATION METEOROLOGY UNSCRAMBLED (ninth edition in 2006). Copies are still available on the internet. Also that year, he became a certified flight instructor - using his GI Bill and became a Certified Consulting Meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society.
While teaching college on the week days, Ken was also a weekend weathercaster on a local NBC TV station. Ken ended his teaching career back at the University of North Texas as an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics. He retired in 2014.
Although his military stent was short, the meteorology training stayed with him for many decades. Ken came from humble beginnings from a rural farm-ranch family about sixty miles north of Fort Worth, he now lives with his wife Martha in Rancho LaQuinta. Martha is an CVC-MOAA Auxiliary Member and helps with Chapter promotions. Ken has been a member of the Chapter since 2015. The McCools have been married for over 30 years. “I place a high value on all of my military experiences, both then and now,” concluded Ken.
LEGISLATIVE LIAISON APPOINTED
In the past, CVC-MOAA short sided regarding veteran advocacy - staying up-to-date on both state and federal legislation that affects veterans and their families. Board member, CAPT John Doyle, has agreed to step in as Legislative Liaison. He will keep us informed on what piece of legislation members will be interested in supporting.
John has recommended for members to review Bear Flag Veterans organization. This is a California focused, veteran-led advocacy organization that helps veterans directly influence state legislation by engaging with their own district legislators. It is not a traditional VSO (life VFW or American Legion); instead, it operates as a grassroots legislative action network designed to give California veterans a stronger voice in Sacramento.
Bear Flag Veterans is an advocacy initiative connected to Reeb Government Relations, LLC, a registered California lobbying firm. It’s purpose is to mobilize California veterans to shape state policy by:
- Sending personalized letters to legislators about active veterans bills.
- Organizing veterans to engage district offices, where constituent bounces carry the most weight.
- Providing tools to track bills propose edits, and participate in real-time policy discussions.
Go to bearflagveterans.com to join if you are interested. The cost is $5 a month for unlimited letters and bill tracking or $4 a month if billed annually. They do offer a seven-day trial period for those that are interested.
There are 1.6 million veterans in California, yet only a handful shape the legislative agenda. Veterans living with consequences of policy should help write it and grassroots input should replace “three people in a room” deciding statewide priorities.
John will be keeping us briefed at our general membership meetings and through our website, CVC-MOAA.com, next year to keep our members updated on current legislation that affects us.
REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBPAGE AT CVC-MOAA.com.
NEVER STOP SERVING
Terrie Heer
MAJ, USAR, (RET.)
President
CVC-MOAA