Who We Are
Welcome to the website of the Silicon Valley Chapter (SVC) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). As an affiliate of MOAA, we are proud to be ‘One Powerful Voice.’ This website serves as an extension of our mission and activities.
Our Mission Statement
The primary mission of the MOAA- SVC is to support veterans and active-duty military members, and their families. The organization will embrace diversity while leveraging varying skills to meet the needs of all veterans of Santa Clara County. Chapter is fully committed to transparency and operational excellence while adhering to the Warrior Ethos. Organization will make the necessary investments in personnel, systems, and processes for continued growth, organizational distinction, and community involvement. This will be achieved through administrative excellence, innovation, communication, and execution while building team cohesion.
Purpose: The chapter does advocate a strong national defense, it does not, as a chapter, become involved in matters pertaining to military strategy or individual weapons systems of the various services. The chapter’s board of directors play an active role in military personnel matters and especially proposed legislation affecting the career force, the retired community, and veterans of the uniformed services.
Stated briefly, the chapter may advocate issues, but it may not advocate the election or defeat of candidates or political parties in accordance with the chapter’s constitution and bylaws.
A Message From our President
Dear SVC Officers, Members, Spouses, and Friends,
I am truly honored to be your President. We at MOAA-SVC strive to go above and beyond for our veterans. Community awareness, outreach, and synchronization of efforts with established organizations such as VA Palo Alto Health, Santa Clara County Veteran Services, and many more are paramount to success.
Our goal is to advocate for food security, scholarships, employment & career transitions, and veteran suicide prevention. The organization recognizes these challenges won’t be resolved overnight and are “Think Big” initiatives, but they must be addressed and will require a community effort, discipline and servitude.
Several of the board members are doubling up on the leadership tasks to fill staffing gaps and we’re making staffing gains month-over-month and could use your help. There is still time to step up and be the change makers for our veterans.
I want to hear from you. We encourage new concepts and suggestions on how to do better for our veterans. I look forward to the year of lessons learned, best practices, and more important, mission success with you.
Respectfully,
Ray Watts, COL USA (Ret)
President
MOAA -SVC Core Tenets
- To inculcate and stimulate love of country and the flag;
- To support the honor and integrity of our country and advocate for a strong national defense;
- To advocate military forces adequate to the defense of our country;
- To foster the integrity and prestige of uniformed service;
- To foster fraternal relations between all branches of the various Services from which our members are drawn;
- To further the education of children of Service personnel;
- To aid personnel of the Services from which our members are drawn, and their family members and survivors, in every proper and legitimate manner, and
- To represent their rights and interests when Service matters are under consideration.
Meeting Details
We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month, at DeAnza College in Cupertino, from 11:30 – 13:30.
The meetings are held in the Campus Center, shown on the map. For detailed directions on how to find this building and room. Come in and register. You’ll get a name badge and find a table to sit at. Go to the snack area and purchase a lunch and bring back to the meeting room. At noon, the President will call the meeting to order. Following association business, a guest speaker with be introduced.
Location: De Anza College near the student Cafeteria
21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014
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Park free in Parking Lot A. The parking lot faces a building called “Student & Community Services Building” (SCS). Enter the campus past the “Student & Community Services Building” and head to main quad and see the “Campus Center Building” on the right. Inside will be a snack area and many tables for students to eat. Next go down a hallway marked “Conference Rooms and Rest Room”. We will be in a large room – look for our registration table.
