NARFE - Dulles Chapter 1241

President’s Greeting

This our last Chapter Newsletter before the summer break. In the past, that would mean a time for relaxation and fun. However, that does not appear to be the case this year. Federal employees and retirees are under attack, both in the media and in the halls of the Capital. The dire economic conditions that are prevalent around the country appear to be driving people to look for someone to blame, and many politicians are only too happy to direct this anger towards federal employees and retirees. To counter this misdirected anger, each of us needs to stand up and educate our relatives, neighbors, and the community at large about the importance and value of the work performed by the federal employees, the experience and education requirements to become a federal employee, and how federal employee and retirement benefits are funded. This information has not been very well presented.

NARFE has taken the lead in trying to articulate this information with the “Heartbeat of America” program. You can help by providing your story, and every federal employee and retiree has a story to tell. We became federal employees to fill a need and provide a service, and most of us labor or labored in obscurity to serve our country and the public. What would have happened without us? For example, would the U.S A. have been able to send astronauts and missions to the moon and beyond. Would technological developments that resulted from these missions be so readily available to the general public? Would there be an internet? Would imaging devices that now take digital photographs be available? Would the drug thalimide, that caused birth defects, still be in use? Would any drugs be safe to use? Would it be safe to eat the food produced in the U.S.A. and other countries? Would there be any water safe to drink? Would there be safe methods of traveling by land, air, or sea? Would you get dependable and relatively low cost mail delivery? Would there be any National Parks to visit? Would there be anyone to fight forest fires? These and other stories of the work of federal employees need to be presented.

Also, be proud of being a NARFE member and be willing to tell everyone that you are a NARFE member, especially those political candidates, both federal and State, who will be contacting you over the next several months and will be asking for your support in the coming elections.

--Bill Schmidt, Dulles Chapter President
June 2011

At the bottom of every press release from the national office of NARFE,
the following paragraph describes the mission of NARFE:

NARFE, one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was founded in 1921 with the mission of protecting the earned rights and benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. The largest federal employee/ retiree organization, NARFE represents the retirement interests of nearly 5 million current and future federal annuitants, spouses, and survivors.

One of the great benefits of NARFE membership is the many discounts available to members. Just look in the back of your NARFE Magazine for a listing of everything available.

You will find discounts on insurance, travel, car rental, hotels and many others items. Also there are ways to earn more on savings accounts. Check out some of these and take advantage of them.