Non-Chapter Honors & Significant Achievements of Members

 

Many of our chapter members have made significant contributions to our communities or government and have been recognized for their personal efforts, achievements or leadership by other organizations.

  • COL John R. Ady, US Army, retired. Chapter President, Champaign, Illinois MOAA;  Rotary Paul Harris Fellow;  President of the Champaign, IL Rotary Club,?2004-2005;  Kiwanis Sunrise President in Danville, IL.
  • COL Jeanne J. Blaes, US Army, retired.??President, Arizona Territorial Chapter, Association of the United States Army 2013-2017.
  • CAPT Dan Conway, US Coast Guard, retired. ?Arizona State Council President of the MOAA Council of Chapters 2002-2004
  • CAPT Caroleen “Carol” Culbertson, US Navy, retired.  Saguaro (Phoenix) Chapter President, Association of the United States Navy, 2005-2017.
  • COL Webb W. Ellis, US Army, retired.  Chair, Governor’s Veterans Service Advisory Commission 2006, Chairman of the Unified Arizona Veterans (UAV) 2002-2004.
  • COL Rance Farrell, US Army, retired.  7th Region President of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2012-2014, Arizona Territorial Chapter AUSA President 2009-2011.
  • Col Gary W. Fredricks, US Air Force, retired.  MOAA National 3rd Vice Chair 2012-2014, MOAA National Board of Directors 2008-2014, Arizona State Council President of the MOAA Council of Chapters 2005-2006, Chairman of the Unified Arizona Veterans (UAV) 2007, Governor’s Veterans Advisory Commission 2006-2012.
  • Lieutenant JG Jesse Gersten, US Navy (former).  2000 Arizona United Way’s Sun Lakes Man of the Year; charter Arizona Commander, Jewish War Veterans.
  • MAJ Gerald A. “Jerry” Gustafson, US Army, retired. 2010 Congressional Gold Medal for his service with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II.
  • 1LT Corey Harris, US Army (former).  2013 Winner of Phoenix Business Journal’s “40 Under 40 Program”.   LT Harris was recognized for making major strides in his professional career and having a positive impact on his community.
  • 2LT Raymond C. Hitzel, US Army (former). Arizona State Council President of the MOAA Council of Chapters, 1995-1996.
  • CAPT Frank M. Hoak, III, US Navy, retired. 2011 U. S. Stamp Society Barbara R. Muller Award for his collection of stamps heralding the navies of the world with an emphasis on World War I and World War II ships.
  • CDR Weaver “Ketch” Ketcham, US Navy, retired.  President of the Phoenix Rotary Club 1952-1953, Director of the Salvation Army in Phoenix.
  • Lt Col David Kurtz, US Army, retired.  32nd Degree Mason and the Chairman, Advisory Council, Yokohama, Japan, Masonic Lodge 1948-1950;  Commander, Papago Chapter of the Heroes of ’76;  founding Director, Mesa YMCA.
  • BGen Richard “Gregg” Maxon, Esq, US Army, retired. Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services 2007-2008.
  • COL Richard E. “Dick” Minor, US Army, retired. 2008 Military Order of World Wars (MOWW) Commander In Chief Award, awarded annually to the single member who has provided the greatest service to the MOWW CINC that year. In addition, Dick is also the recipient of MOWW’s Silver Patrick Henry Award in 2004 and the coveted Gold Patrick Henry Award in 2006 for his extraordinary Patriotic Achievements.  Dick has served as MOWW’s Phoenix Chapter president, as MOWW’s State President, and as the Chairman of MOWW’s Annual State Youth Leadership Program.
  • Col Ron Perkins, US Air Force, retired.  President of MOAA’s Arizona State Council of Chapters 2014-2015; Chair, Governor’s Veterans Service Advisory Commission 2014-2016; President, Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society (AVHOFS) 2014-2015.
  • COL Gene Rafanelli, US Army, retired.  Association of the United States Army (AUSA) – Arizona Territorial Chapter President 2011-2013, President, Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society (AVHOFS) 2016-2017.
  • COL Bill Roscher, US Army, retired.  Inducted into the National OCS Hall of Fame in 2013 (an honor bestowed upon only 1% of it’s graduates); President, Arizona Chapter, OCS Alumni Association.
  • COL Charles “Chuck” Schluter, US Army, retired.  Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society (AVHOFS) President 2010-2012, MOAA National Board of Directors 2002-2008.
  • Maj Gen Carl G. Schneider, US Air Force, retired.  Inducted into the Arizona Military Aviation Walk of Honor in 2014.
  • COL Park Shaw, US Army, retired.  Inducted into the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame (OCS) in 1991 (an honor bestowed upon only 1% of it’s graduates); Association of the United States Army (AUSA) – 7th Region VP 1994-1996, Arizona Territorial Chapter President 1996-1998, Arizona State President 1999-2003;  Past President and charter member of the Arizona Chapter Infantry Officer Candidate School Alumni Association 1997-1998; Connecticut Governor Thomas Meskill’s Military Staff 1971-1975, Past President of the Rotary Club of Scottsdale.
  • Lt COL Joe Strickland, US Army retired; Colonel, LANG.  Served as the Director, Arizona Dept. of Veterans Services (2008-2014) and in 2016 was appointed Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Lt Col “Bill” Thompson, US Air Force, retired.  Chairman of the Unified Arizona Veterans (UAV) 1997.  Bill was the first non-Big 3 (DAV, TAL, VFW) Chairman of the UAV.
  • Mrs. Kathy Upchurch, Auxillary. Gold Star Wives of America National President 2007-2009, Southwest Region President (3 terms), National Service Award 2004. Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America National Fellowship Award 2006 & Silver Rose Award 2007.
  • COL Rob Welch, US Army, retired. Chairman, Unified Arizona Veterans (UAV) Nov 2013-Dec 2015;  2005 Irishman of the Year, Connecticut State Police Emerald Society (CSP-ES); 2003-2006 Founding Director of the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation (MIPF), Mystic, Connecticut.
  • BGen George S. Woodward, MD, US Army, retired.  Served as Arizona State Council President of the MOAA Council of Chapters.