What the chapter has been up to.

“The mission is simple,” said Blue Coats Founder and President Patty Summers in the group’s new warehouse. “In America, nobody should freeze to death.” June may not be the month to think about cold weather, even in Ohio, but Blue Coats Vice President and Treasurer Roseann Panning explained that buying items is a year-round task. “MOAA’s grant will go a long way getting us ready for this winter.”

While the Blue Coats often receive clothing from local retailers, they still must purchase some new items to meet specific needs, such as boots, which have to be properly sized and fitted. “Local retailers are wonderfully generous with their donations, but sometimes we have to purchase some items directly,” Summers said. “The MOAA grant gives us the flexibility to purchase what we need.”

The chapter is no stranger to partnering with the Blue Coats. It delivered its first MOAA Foundation Community Outreach Grant of $2,500 in 2025 and supported the group with private donations in 2023 and 2024 through internal chapter fundraising.

Taking the chapter’s support to the next level was the idea of Chapter Vice President and Director of Grants Major Joseph Mersol, USA (Ret). “The MOAA grant is beyond generous,” he said, “but equally vital is teaming with the Blue Coats at community awareness and fundraising events and Veteran Stand Downs throughout the year. We will back up the dollars with hands-on assistance.”

For chapter members who are not of the faint of heart, direct outreach to homeless individuals and veterans at remote encampments in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys can be arranged with prior coordination. As Blue Coats Veteran Liaison and former U.S. Marine John Johnston put it, “It is a life changing experience. It will change your life forever.”

Readers who wish to support the Youngstown Blue Coats can learn more at ytownbluecoats.org.

Kicking off the evening was Pennsylvania Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Brown, Doctor of Physical Therapy and member of the 128th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. A graduate of Slippery Rock University and commissioned through Army ROTC, LTC Brown related his experiences as a provider under the Steward-owned Sharon Regional Healthcare System and the post-bankruptcy acquisition by Tenor Health Foundation. He also discussed his recent deployments and the shift Army medicine is making to relocate rehabilitative care closer to the front lines to return fit servicemembers to their units more expeditiously.

The chapter was also pleased to welcome long-time member Mrs. Dawnle Scheetz of Sharon, PA back to the chapter as a MOAA Surviving Spouse. Fellow Surviving Spouse and chapter member Mrs. Janet Oglesby of Hubbard, OH presented Mrs. Scheetz with a MOAA Surviving Spouse Pin.

Chapter President David DiTallo and Treasurer Bruce Bille presented Golden Corral Manager, U.S. Veteran, and Friend of the Chapter Mr. William Weaver a check for three hundred dollars to Camp Corral. Camp Corral is a national non-profit whose mission is to transform the lives of children of this nation’s wounded, ill, and deceased military heroes. Since its inception in 2011, Camp Corral has served nearly 29,000 children from every state with summer camps held across the nation. This year marks the thirteenth year the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys Chapter has contributed to Camp Corral.

Accompanied by Hospice Volunteer Justin Culp, Ms. Seybert explained the range of in-home care available to patients, such as skilled nursing, therapy services and wellness programs, and care, comfort, and quality of life support for persons with serious illnesses approaching the end of life. She also discussed how patients and families can best decide when home health care is needed and common misconceptions about the types of care available and how they are provided.

On behalf of MOAA President and Chief Executive Officer Lieutenant General Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret), Chapter Treasurer and former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Bruce Bille of Howland presented the President’s Award to retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Roderick (“Rod”) Hosler of Boardman for exceptional leadership and meritorious service as immediate past president of the northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania chapter. The award also recognized his many years in other officer and board positions since the chapter’s inception in 2013.

Lieutenant Bille also presented MOAA’s Leadership Award to former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Florence Hosler, also of Boardman, as immediate past vice president and surviving spouse liaison, as well as former president and former treasurer over the past ten years. Lieutenant Hosler also serves as the chapter’s newsletter editor, for which she has repeatedly received MOAA’s Colonel Marvin J. Harris Communications Award.

In other business, Chapter President David DiTallo of Boardman swore in both Hoslers and Albert Lind of Poland to new two-year terms on the Board of Directors beginning in 2026.

The chapter’s next member meeting is Friday, February 20 at noon at A La Cart Catering in Canfield, Ohio, with reservations due by Monday, February 16. Current, former, and retired commissioned and warrant officers living in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania may attend one time at no cost or obligation by writing to msvcmoaa@gmail.com.

Warrant Officer Walker provided a summary of the stipends and types of burial markers available to veterans and spouses, as well as how veterans can apply for some benefits ahead of time and even choose their marker and inscription.

Following the presentation, the chapter made its annual donation to the Youngstown State University Veterans Service Center by presenting $400 in GetGo Cards to Associate Director of Veterans Affairs and fellow chapter member Patrick (“Rick”) Williams. The chapter also welcomed guests Ms. Marly Reichert, Metro Editor of The Tribune Chronicle-Vindicator, and former U.S. Army Captain and YSU ROTC alumnus Kelly Nulf.

Led by chapter Board Member at Large Joseph Mersol, funding for the donation was provided by the MOAA Foundation’s Community Outreach program, which provides grants to MOAA councils and chapters delivering direct assistance to military families in their local communities in nine areas of critical military and veteran family need.

Ms. Bossart is the Chief of the Reliability and Service Analysis Division at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, where she is responsible for monitoring and enforcement of service reliability and consumer protection rules for investor-owned electric, natural gas, and water companies.

Under the Energy Choice Ohio Program, residential and commercial customers may compare and sign up for fixed and variable utility rates, as well as aggregate rates established by local governments. She emphasized reading monthly utility statements to know your generating company, the rates you are charged, and the terms of any contract, and the importance of only visiting websites with “.gov” addresses and never giving out your utility account number.

Miller, a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran and four-term Cuyahoga Falls City Council member, explained the ACCESS Act corrects VA wait time manipulation, faulty scheduler guidance, and improper appointment cancelling, which prevent veterans from accessing health care choices made available under The VA MISSION Act of 2019.

Following the presentation, the chapter accepted MOAA’s 2024 Five Star Award of Excellence for superior chapter operations and the 2024 Marvin Harris Communications Award for excellence in chapter newsletters and websites.

Col. DeAbate is the immediate past commander of the 910th Medical Support Squadron at Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, OH and a local nurse practitioner with Mercy Health. He related his unit’s participation in Exercise PATRIOT MEDIC 2024 in Peru to illustrate reserve medical readiness and the ability to deploy medical services and casualty evacuation assets from austere environments.

John P. Kochansky, Lt Col, USAF (Ret), Senior Aerospace Science Instructor for the AFJROTC at New Castle Senior High School, shared his thanks and this summary: “It was a hit with over 160 family, friends, board members, and administration attending. For many of these cadets, it was the first time they have ever been recognized for anything. The school was filled with many proud parents and guardians. Your generous donation provided refreshments for the group.”