Retirees continue to serve Malmstrom community

  • Published
  • By Valerie Mullett
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The Malmstrom Retirees Council is made up of retired military members from varying branches of the uniformed services who take pride in "continuing to serve." 

The council meets the second Wednesday of every month, September through May, at 11:30 a.m. at the Grizzly Bend Club. New members are always welcomed to join the council and are encouraged to attend the meetings. There is no membership fee to join. 

"We are just a bunch of retirees who want to do what we can to help our military members while they are stationed at Malmstrom, however we can," said retired Col. Milt Feltch, Malmstrom Retirees Council director. "We have several large projects we take on each year and add smaller ones that are presented to us when we have the volunteers to support them." 

Perhaps the biggest project the group has been involved with for the past nine years is Operation Happy Holidays. 

"This is a joint effort with other key organizations, but I would have to say the lion's share of the manpower for Operation Happy Holidays comes from the retirees," Mr. Feltch said.
Operation Happy Holidays, this year, entailed baking more than 30,000 cookies and packaging them into shipping containers once they had cooled. The process took a week to complete and then on the sixth day, the cookies were delivered to the transportation building where they became part of a care package - one for each Montana deployed member - and shipped to the deployed locations. Mary Ann Mackall was the overall coordinator for the cookie baking and along with Dorothy Davis from the VFW, did all of the cookie dough mixing. Assisted by retired Senior Master Sgt. Al Maflin and retired Tech. Sgt. Jim Thul manning the ovens and overseeing the baking, many other volunteers came in throughout the week-long event to lend their support where needed. 

"By day three, Al and Jim had oven tans from manning those ovens as long as they did," Mr. Feltch joked. 

But their contributions to Team Malmstrom aren't anything to laugh about. All involved donated more than 500 hours over the course of the project. 

"Our retirees are absolutely awesome," said Col. Sandra Finan, 341st Space Wing commander. "They continue to serve our nation. Without their phenomenal support, we would not be the incredible force we are. I appreciate their continued dedication. 

Watching them in action during Operation Happy Holidays is a sight to behold . . . cookie dough mixing, baking tray after tray, wrapping cookies, making goody boxes, working day after day and making a huge difference for our military members." 

Funding for Operation Happy Holidays comes from generous donations and various fund raising events throughout the year and funds carry over from year to year to support the next year's endeavors. 

Events such as a holiday gift wrapping, this year spearheaded by council member Rose Maflin, at the base exchange take place in December. 

"Rose did an outstanding job coordinating the gift wrap. Her efforts, along with the volunteers she recruited, raised more than $300 for next year," Mr. Feltch said. 

The next big project the group is working on and will have a strong presence at is Retiree's Appreciation Weekend, scheduled for April 25 to 27.

"This is Malmstrom's chance to show our retirees how much we appreciate their service before us and to thank them for their continued support of our active-duty personnel now," said Lt. Col. Mark Evans, deputy commander of the 341st Mission Support Group.

Numerous agencies normally closed on the weekends will open their doors to provide necessary services for the retirees in the clinic and military personnel element from eye screening tests, laboratory work and dental exams to renewing ID cards and updating beneficiary information. The commissary and base exchange will be offering retiree specials and the Elkhorn Diner will greet and feed those wanting to have their annual "chow hall" meal. 

The weekend starts with a retreat ceremony at Medal of Honor Park Friday, followed by no-host cocktails at the Grizzly Bend Club. Saturday night there will be a buffet dinner starting at 6 p.m. with a social hour preceding that at 5 p.m. Entertainment will be offered this year, provided by the Top of the Falls Choir (formerly known as the Sweet Adelines). To end the evening, the volunteer of the year will be named and door prizes will be given away. 

"For a lot of the people who come to retiree weekend, it is the one time a year they get to renew old friendships and spend time with those they served with," Mr. Feltch said. "It is always a big success." 

Complete details on the events of Retiree Weekend will be mailed to each retiree the first week of March, according to Mr. Feltch. "So be watching for them and for now, get the dates of April 25 to 27 reserved on your calendars." 

New this year, in the planning stages for the first part of May, is a retiree's picnic.
"We are still in the early stages of planning this event, so anyone with ideas or wanting to help out should come join us at our next meeting, Feb. 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Grizzly Bend Club," Mr. Feltch said. "We have also joined a new effort called Cell Phone for Soldiers. Details on that project will be addressed in a future article." 

There is also information about the Retiree Council on the internet. Go to www.malmstrom.af.mil. On the tool bar at the bottom of the page, click on Site Map. Once there, click on the Retirees Activities Office link. The links provided are especially useful. Anyone wanting specific information can call Mr. Feltch at 731-4751. If no answer, please leave a message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.