ABOUT OUR CHAPTER
Since 1958, MOAACC has been active in Brevard County, Florida. It is a service/social group of active, former, and retired Military Officers, as well as their spouses and surviving spouses. MOAACC is dedicated to supporting the goals of MOAA National, engages in philanthropy in the community, and promotes camaraderie of our members with social activities and events. As an affiliate of MOAA National, MOAACC is dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and preserving the commitments and benefits for all active military, veterans and their family members.
MOAACC is a service/social organization dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and preserving the entitlements and benefits of its members. Firstly, it promotes the aims, objectives and national legislative programs of MOAA. High priority is given to providing useful services to our members and to the favorable resolution of issues that affect active duty and retired members of the seven uniformed services and their Reserve and National Guard components. MOAA National, the various State Councils and their affiliate chapters, including the Military Officers Association of America, Cape Canaveral (MOAACC), are all nonpartisan organizations. In addition to the purposes set forth in its Bylaws, the Chapter shall be guided by the following broad goals and objectives:
- Promote the aims, objectives and national legislative programs of MOAA;
- Promote state legislative programs beneficial to uniformed service retirees and active duty personnel;
- Provide useful services for and protect the interests of members, their dependents and survivors;
- Facilitate camaraderie among members;
- Assist qualified young people who display an interest in, and an aptitude for uniformed service; and,
- Provide support for philanthropic (Good Deeds Foundation & Scholarships Corps) purposes, as approved by the board of directors.
The principle purposes of MOAACC are:
To promote the aims, objectives and national legislative programs of MOAA
To promote state & local legislative programs beneficial to uniformed service active duty personnel and retirees
To provide useful services for and protect the interests of members, their dependents and survivors
Facilitate and provide opportunity for camaraderie and fellowship among members.
To assist qualified young people who display an interest in, and an aptitude for uniformed service
To provide philanthropic support - Good Deeds Funds & Scholarships
Keep the members informed of pertinent legislative issues and encourage active participation in the legislative process.
Provide varied programs that are educational, informative, and/or entertaining.
Maintain an awards program for JROTC, ROTC, Sea Cadets and Civil Air Patrol units in the local area.
Provide a Survivor Assistance Program to assist members and surviving spouses.
The chapter is devoted to fostering fellowship among its members and families and to stimulate love of country. The Thursday Morning Breakfast Club (TMBC), monthly luncheons (third Tuesdays) with guest speakers, Current Affairs Forums (3rd Thursday every other month) and a variety of evening functions and special events are all designed to enhance our efforts towards these goals. The monthly newsletter, The Intercom (and moaacc.org web site and our Facebook page) inform members of these events and keeps them abreast of current issues of prime importance to the goals and objectives of the chapter.
MOAACC is located in Brevard County, Florida and primarily serves membership located at:
- Cape Canaveral/Port Canaveral
- Cocoa/Cocoa Beach
- Melbourne
- Palm Bay
- Patrick Space Force Base
- Titusville
- Viera
- Satellite, Indian Harbour & Melbourne Beaches
- Indialantic
Many of our membership lives in the Indian River Colony Club (IRCC), a military/civilian community developed by members of MOAACC.
Go to Documents and click on the 5-Star Award Submission(s) to see what is accomplished by our chapter on a yearly basis.
We have prepared a one page information paper about our chapter that you may want to refer to when you're out and about actively recruiting new members for our chapter. You can view it by clicking on the information paper.
Chapter History
PAGE OWNER of MOAACC HISTORIAN - Capt LARRY JACKSON, USAF (Former)
The MOAA Cape Canaveral Chapter began on July 22, 1957 when H.H. “Bill Hutchings, LCDR, USN sent a letter to The Retired Officers Association, TROA (MOAA’s predecessor) in Washington DC inquiring as to the feasibility of establishing a chapter in Cape Canaveral. Bill received a favorable response and then contacted several retired officers to organize a chapter. After holding several organizational meetings and electing officers, the chapter called TROACC (The Retired Officers Association Cape Canaveral) began operation in January, 1958 with Raymond A. Nelson, COL, USA at the helm as President.
The Chapter was active socially through the years of 1958 to 1960, climbing to a membership of 60 members in 1959. It began publishing the predecessor to our current newsletter the “Intercom” in May, 1960. However, sometime during this year, several key officers who were working in the fledgling space program were transferred. Their loss seems to have been fatal to the new chapter. We have no other records of the Chapter until April 3, 1967 when an officer in the area wrote to TROA requesting procedures for reactivating the Chapter. This occurred in1968 with a meeting at a local home.
TROACC struggled along as a mainly social club through the remainder of the 1960’s and early part of the 1970’s. In 1974 the members of the Chapter established a telephone committee with members calling perspective members to inform them of Chapter events. This committee was a great success and the membership had grown to 250 members by July, 1975. Another milestone was achieved when a non-profit mailing permit was obtained in July, 1976. This seems to be the impetus for publishing a useful newsletter that got the Chapter moving from a social organization to a public service organization. By the end of 1976 the membership had grown to 800.
The additional membership really transformed the Chapter and a major event occurred in 1978 when the chapter Personal Affairs Office was officially recognized as a military community involvement activity. Its mission: To act as the location where Chapter administrative functions are accomplished; to provide personal affairs service and reference information to Chapter members, their dependents and survivors; to coordinate the base activities on matters affecting retirees. The name of the Base office was changed to “Retiree Affairs Office” to better reflect our services to all retirees-not just to officers. This office was located at Building 425, Room 2-189 on Patrick AFB and manned during duty hours.
In 1979 The Officers and Board initiated the presentation of medals to the outstanding R.O.T.C. cadets from each of the eleven space coast high schools. These medals are recognized by D.O.D. and may be worn on the service uniform as well as the cadet uniform. Members of our chapter presented these medals at Commencement exercises at each high school with the following citation “Awarded to the high school cadet of the junior class who has demonstrated qualities of leadership and has the potential to assume positions of higher responsibility throughout his career.”
Also, a Chapter Life Membership was established in 1979 with the price ranging from $65 for those 50 or less to $25 for those over 66, what a bargain!
The chapter was extremely active socially during the 1980’s. Members hosted several golf tournaments, dinner dances, monthly luncheons and travel activities each year. It was in 1983 that the Board of Directors established a Scholarship Committee, Chaired by RADM O. D. Waters. The purpose was to promote the wellbeing of Brevard County and, more particularly of outstanding needy college students. The objective: to seek out local candidates who are sons and/or daughters of service personnel. Priority was given for excellence in achievement in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics. Please see our Scholarship Section in this web site.
By the beginning of 1984 the membership had grown to 1468 and increased to 1606 by the end of the year. Also, the Thursday Morning Breakfast Club (TMBC) began weekly meetings at the Patrick AFB Golf Course. The TMBC continues to be one of the most popular events in our MOAACC calendar and is now hosted at the Indian River Colony Club (IRCC).
Through the remainder of the 1980’s and to this day, MOAACC continues its long history of community involvement and social events. The reader should review the Levels of Excellence Submissions found in the Documents section under this tab.
Other History Articles:
Membership Information
All Active, Former and Retired Commissioned and Warrant
Officers of the Uniformed Services are Welcome to Join MOAA!!
The Cape Canaveral Chapter is the largest MOAA Chapter’s in the United States with 1440 members. Membership is open to active duty, retired and former commissioned and warrant officers of Reserves, National Guard and the seven uniformed services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Widows and Widowers of officers may join as Auxiliary Members and spouses of current members may join as Spouse Members. The annual membership is only $20 (Less than $1.67 a month!). Active duty and drilling reservists get the first year of membership free; after that, the normal rate of $20/year applies. Life membership is available too, at the following schedule:
- Age 39 & Below - $500
- Age 40-49 - $460
- Age 50-59 - $400
- Age 60-69 - $330
- Age 70-79 - $235
- Age 80-89 - $155
- Age 90-99 - $ 75
- Age 100+ - No Cost
Please submit your payment with your application (active duty and drilling reservists -- your first year is free!). The Life Membership can be paid over three (3) consecutive months.
Click here for the Membership form, fill in the form, print, and mail with your check or pay online by clicking here. Additional information and an application is available at MOAACC Trifold. To learn how to be an active member, click here.
Our mailing address:
MOAACC
Attn: Vice President for Membership & Support
P.O. Box 254186
Patrick Air Force Base, Florida 32925-4186
For more information contact 2nd Vice President for Membership and Support.
Photo & Video Gallery
MOAA National, the various State Councils and their affiliate chapters, including the Military Officers Association of America, Cape Canaveral (MOAACC), are all nonpartisan organizations.
