Service

NEWLY APPPOINTED VFC CO-SERVICE OFFICERS

John D. Bails, CWO3 United States Navy (Retired)

Dr. Constance T. Bails, Ph.D.

First and foremost, we thank you for your most gracious welcome as Co-Service Officers for the Virginia Federation of Chapters for NARFE. We are eternally grateful and very excited to carry the torch following the magnificent service provided by, Past, Co-Service Officers, Sue and Jim Righter. We thank Sue and Jim for a “JOB WELL DONE” and for being so accommodating with information and guidance to help us gets started as we follow in their footsteps.

Dr. Constance T. Bails, Ph.D., completed 35 years of Federal, Civil and Community Service in the field(s) of Training; Employee Development; Human Resources; and Equal Employment Opportunity. In 2007, Dr. Bails retired from the Federal Senior Executive Service (SES). During her career, she served as Manager of the Affirmative Action Program at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard; Civil Rights Director for the Agricultural Marking Service, and Deputy Civil Rights Director for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Sociology; a Master’s Degree in Adult Education; and a Ph.D., in Group Dynamics, Organizational Development, and Psychological Studies, from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The focus of her Doctoral dissertation is Communication Skill Development, Group Dynamics, and Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.

John D. Bails, CW03, USN-RET, is a native of Norristown Pennsylvania. He served as Chief Warrant Officer, CW03, (Engineering) in the United States Navy; served two tours in Viet Nam on River Patrols, numerous deployments and Grenada Invasion. He was awarded the following Medals, Navy Achievement 2, Navy Unit Commendation 2, National Defense, Viet Nam Service, Republic of Vietnam Campaign, Good Conduct 4, Navy Expeditionary, Marksmen and Surface Warfare. After completing 24 years of Active Duty Service, he retired in 1994. He attended Strayer University and is a certified Facilities Management Professional (FMP). He is currently employed as: Work Control Chief and Warehouse Manage; Facilities Management, for Fairfax Country, Fairfax Virginia. John simultaneously works as Chief Operating Officer for Renaissance Counseling and Training, a company founded by the Bails’ in Clifton, Virginia.

As members of NARFE, Chapter 737 in Fairfax, Virginia, we are also Co-Service Officers for our Chapter. We attended the May 2009 Convention as Delegates, patrons, supporters and ad contributors for the Convention. We attended all Executive Board meetings, and became acclimated with the process of the organization at a State Level. While attending the official Convention Opening Session and the Area Caucus meeting, Ms. Kathy Arpa, Area X, Director, introduced us and officially welcomed us into the Federation of Chapter X.

Additionally, we met with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) team members and engaged in a dialogue to enhance our process and establish a closer partnership on behalf of NARFE. Finally, we attended the Service Officers’ Committee forum where Sue and Jim Righter introduced us to the Chapter Service Officers. We provided a brief overview of our backgrounds, and introduced just a few of the projects that we envision to move the Service Officers Program forward.

Our tentative Action Plan as VFC CO- SERVICE OFFICERS, for 2009/10 is as follows:

· Maintain our contact with Sue and Jim Righter, past Co- Chair, Service Officers for VFC to address past practices, lessons learned and input for the future of the VFC Service Officers Program.

· Enhance partnership with OPM for more information and coordinate an increased OPM’s presence at various chapter meetings.

· Prepare and present a needs assessment questionnaire for Chapter Service Officers.

· Encourage Chapter Service Officers to attend NARFE Conventions in support of opportunities to learn more about service information, networking and to share ideas and best practices.

Finally, we have received two invitations to present information at Chapter meetings, and we are pleased to be able to attend them both.

We are delighted to be working with you, especially the Chapter Service Officers as we grow in the duties and responsibilities assigned to Service Officers’. Please feel free to contact us at 703-802-7344, or e-mail ctbails@aol.com or jbails@aol.com.

WELCOME TO THIS SERVICE WEBSITE. Click on items of interest; if you wish hard copies, download and print them when you need them.

Avoiding the Most Common Elder Scams and Frauds A survey of elder scams and frauds compiled from some of the latest available information. Many of them are funny, unless they have just happened to you. If it’s too good to be true, it likely is not true.

How Long to Keep Your Important Records and Papers What records and papers are important? This offers an efficient personalized system for preserving and safeguarding important family papers, as well as incentive to destroy and discard the other stuff.

How to Get Out of Debt and Stay Out of Debt Debt can be particularly crushing and depressing to anyone of any age. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid, and the most common remedies to avoid future indebtedness.

How to Manage Life for Your Own Personal Safety Simple ways you can minimize the likelihood of household accidents, of being a crime victim, of common auto accidents, and of injury from falls. A survey of devices and services, to call for help, is also included.

Lowering Your Risk of Identity Theft Seven ways for average people to take actions that will lower their personal profile and their risk of identity theft. The presentation ends with detailed counter-measures if one’s identity is compromised.

Preparing for Care-giving This increases awareness of how we all are involved in a network of giving and receiving care. Living independently and ageing in place is what most people prefer; but there are four good reasons for resorting to residential care. Care-giving is not an emergency, but a personal life choice.

Signs of Elder Abuse / Standards of Elder Care Twelve signs of elder abuse; twelve standards of elder care; and what to do in the most often encountered situations. The emphasis is not only on consciousness-raising but also upon effective intervention.

Understanding Your Need for a “Survivor Kit” (updated in 2007) What will loved ones need to know in an emergency or other life event? A kit for them should be assembled and updated annually. This is a consideration of what a wise person does now for those he or she loves.