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Hours:
10 am-2 PM Mon-Fri
except holidays |
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Now Available -
On-Line Dues Payment (Members Only Access Required) |
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New 2009 Board Members
In a relatively rare occurrence we had
no election this year to replace the
three Phoenix Society board members,
Chris Napjus; Sam Hergert and me, Karyn
Vice, whose 3-year terms are up.
Whap happened? Our call for volunteers
specified a reply by date to allow time
to publish biographical information and
allow members to vote. We ended up with
two volunteers and since I was
interested in serving another term, that
gave us three people for the three
positions. We had two or three people
tell us they were interested in being on
the board, but it was after the date
that would have allowed us to gather and
publish the election information both by
email and hard copy for your vote. We
asked each of the volunteers to consider
running next year and will start the
election process earlier (during the
early summer) to allow for more time to
find candidates and get the material
published to you for an election.
In the meantime, please know that the
board will continue to provide services
to our members, in this area and across
the country. We ask that you keep
communicating with us and we look
forward to another great year.
We are pleased to announce our two new
board members for next year are Jon
Goldsmith and Jeanne Zimmer.
Karyn L. Vice
President
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2009 Tax break offered for new
car purchases -
click here |
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"Help Light the Way" 2008-2009
Combined Federal Campaign
I would like to take this opportunity
to say "THANK YOU" for your continued
and generous support of the National
Security Agency's Combined Federal
Campaign (CFC). Last year, the Phoenix
Society members contributed over
$7,100.00. That's awesome!
We are looking forward to another
extraordinary year of charitable giving.
As Agency retirees, you continue to have
the opportunity to make a difference by
donating to your organization/charity of
choice. The codes for the approved
charitable organizations are available
on the Chesapeake Bay Area CFC homepage:
www.cbacfc.org.
If you're looking of a good reason to
give, please think of the following:
· Charitable giving provides you with
the unique ability to make your
community stronger, healthier, and
happier
· There are more than 3000 local,
national and international
organizations/charities in the 2008-2009
contributor's guide
· You are able to support an
organization's goals that you believe in
· CFC donations are tax deductible
This year's donor recognition gifts are
as follows:
· Bronze ($100.00-$499.00) Self-Powered
Emergency Flashlight emblazoned with CFC
Logo
· Silver ($250.00-$999.00) USB Multi-Hub
imprinted with CFC Logo
· Gold ($1000.00-$1999.00) Stadium
Seat/Folding Blanket inscribed with CFC
Logo
· Gold Plus ($2000.00 +) Stadium Seat
PLUS 4" CFC 'Eagle Giver' Sandstone
Coaster imprinted with CFC Logo
If you have any questions, you may call
NSA's CFC Program Manager, Carole S.
Warble, 301 688-2320. The campaign runs
through Friday, 19 December 2008.
I would like to ask that you consider
donating again this year. You can help
"Light the Way"! To donate, please
complete the form below (click
here for a printable version of the form)
and send your check or money order,
payable to "CFC" to:
Carole Warble
CFC Program Manager
8108 Eleanor Terrace
Baltimore, MD 21222
Name:
____________________________________
Address:
____________________________________
Total Gift: $ ________
Recognition award: Yes _____ Declined
____
(You may designate specific recipients
below)
Five-digit Agency Code ---- Amount
_______ ---------------- $ ______
_______ ---------------- $ ______
_______ ---------------- $ ______
_______ ---------------- $ ______
_______ ---------------- $ ______
_______ ---------------- $ ______
( ) You may release my address to
agencies designated
( ) Do not release my address to
agencies designated
Signature: _________________________
Date: _________
"Retired Federal employees may make
single contributions to the CFC through
check or money order. These non-Federal
employees may not be solicited, but are
to be provided the opportunity to
participate in the CFC." 5 Par 950 Code
of Federal Regulations, November 24,
1995
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| Information about survivors of
WWI requested |
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| With the number of known
living American veterans of
World War I now standing at
four, the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) is
seeking public assistance in
determining whether others
are still alive.
VA Secretary Nicholson
noted that the VA usually
knows about the identity and
location of veterans only
after they come to the
Department for benefits.
None of the four known
surviving World War I
veterans has been on the VA
benefits rolls.
The Secretary asks
members of the general
public who know of a
surviving World War I
veteran to contact VA. To
qualify as a World War I
veteran, someone must have
been on active duty between
April 6, 1917, and Nov. 11,
1918. VA is also looking for
surviving Americans who
served in the armed forces
of allied nations.
Information about
survivors can be e-mailed to
ww1@va.gov; faxed to
202-273-6702, or mailed to
the Office of Public
Affairs, Department of
Veterans Affairs (80), 810
Vermont Ave., NW,
Washington, DC 20420 |
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| Membership Renewal |
| Dear Phoenix Society Member:
It’s that time of year again - your
membership may need to be renewed.
Please check your mailing label. If the
first line contains R2009, A2009, W2009,
P2009, or E2009, your membership expires
at the end of December 2009. If you
receive your Post Crypt electronically
you can find how long your membership is
paid on your quarterly mailing label or
opposite your name in the on-line e-mail
roster. You may also contact the office
and they will be glad to give it to you.
You may renew your membership by
completing the form below and mailing it
to The Phoenix Society along with your
check for $25 for an annual membership.
This year we are also offering the
ability to pay your dues on-line using
the PayPal system. See the Membership
Renewal page on the Website (www.thephoenixsociety.org).
Life memberships are also available
based on your age (Age 55-60 $800; Age
61-69 $600; Age 70+ $400).
In addition to receiving our news
publications, the Post Crypt and
Phoenician, your membership will afford
you the opportunity to socialize and
travel with other retirees and friends.
Our Directory of Members, membership
database, and e-mail address listing
will enable you to keep in touch or
renew acquaintances. We provide notices
of employment and volunteer service in
the local community. Our Website,
www.thephoenixsociety.org, is useful for
items such as general Phoenix Society
information, access to ticket purchases
for commercial events, issues affecting
health and retirement, and occasional
publications of the Agency. Several
areas are restricted to “Members Only”
access, and more will be added in the
coming year.
We are also taking this opportunity
to update or correct member information.
Even if you do not owe dues, please
inform us of any changes in your
address, telephone number, or e-mail
address so we have complete and correct
information in our database. |
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| For more details & forms,
click here |
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Board Votes To Raise Dues
At the July 2006 monthly meeting, the Phoenix Society Board of
Directors voted unanimously to increase the annual and lifetime dues
for the Society members. The annual dues will increase from $15 to
$25, and the lifetime memberships will double to $800 (age 55-60),
$600 (ages 61-69), and $400 (age 70+).
This decision, while a must decision when made, was one of the most
difficult ones made during my two and a half years on the board.
Over the last several years the Phoenix Society has been spending
considerably more money per member than what it has been charging.
The two major reasons for this situation are based on Agency
rulings. The first was a ruling by the General Counsel’s office that
the Agency could no longer legally pay for the society’s postage and
printing. The second occurred after 9/11 when former agency
employees were prohibited from visiting the building. The first
decision vastly increased the amount of money of needed for the
preparation and mailing of the monthly PostCrypt and the quarterly
Phoenician. The second meant that the Society office staff could be
no longer be assisted by volunteers during heavy workload periods
and running programs and trips. As a result the amount of salary
(and employer expenses) was increased in order to keep the office
open.
The Board of Directors thoroughly examined all of the spending of
the society over the last several years and implemented as many cost
savings procedures as possible. We have placed a major emphasis on
our fantastic web site to include establishing a Members Only
section with log-in password security protection for the society’s
e-mail address book, publications and the society directory. We have
also been able to find considerable savings by not copying or
mailing over 1000 copies of the PostCrypt every month. This month we
were also able to publish a version of the Phoenician on the web
site and will soon be able to stop mailing the Phoenician to those
members who can read it on the web site. However, even after taking
these measures and being extremely cost conscious the society is
still spending more money than it is taking in and without an
increase in dues we would be bankrupt within about three years.
One of the other things we did as input to this decision was look
at other organizations similar to the Phoenix Society to see what
their annual dues were. In every case we could find we were the
lowest by a significant amount. The other intelligence organizations
each charge in the $30 per year range and appear to offer fewer
services.
These changes take effect immediately, so memberships (new and
renewal) for 2007 will be at the new rates. We ask for your
continued support to the Society and your understanding that we are
committed to sustaining and improving member services. |
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Get the latest history of National Cryptology. |
| A Brief History of Cryptology by Jim Boone |
| Jim Boone has
generously donated all revenues to the National
Cryptologic Museum Foundation.
For more information, contact
Maj Gen John E. Morrison, Jr. USAF (RET.), President of
NCMF, At 301-688-5436 or John Garcia at 301-918-5494
 Foreword
by William J. Perry
Most of us experience the interactions of cryptography,
communications, and computers as we go about our daily
activities. While on our laptops, we conduct secure
financial transactions and communicate about business
and personal matters. But not long ago, only people with
special security clearances working at secured
communications centers had such access. This book looks
at how this dramatic transition came about.
J. V. Boone presents a historical overview of
technological developments in cryptology and the closely
associated fields of communications and computers.
Having directed research at the National Security Agency
(NSA) for years, he is well suited to tell the story.
Boone identifies milestone accomplishments and
activities in the three fields to provide an
introduction to the talented people who have led
developments and applications. He includes illustrations
to give a feel for the equipment and systems, but his
book’s focus is on the essential ingredient for success
in cryptology: brainpower. Everyone from high school
students to policy developers in government and industry
will be drawn to this concise history of the joint
progress of cryptology, communications, and computers.
Although he writes primarily from a military
intelligence and command/control viewpoint, there are no
involved explanations about how individual pieces of
equipment function and no elaborate mathematical
presentations. For those whose curiosity he has
stimulated, he provides additional references.
CLICK TO
ORDER
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| Cell Phone Emergency Contact Information |
| Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for
clues to that person's identity. You can make their job
much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to
get everyone to adopt: ICE ICE stands
for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in
the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE,
with the name and phone number of the person that the
emergency services should call on your behalf, you can
save the a lot of time and have your loved ones
contacted quickly. It only takes a few minutes to do
this.
Paramedics know what ICE means and they look
for it immediately. ICE your cell phone now!
If you don't have a cell phone, make sure that you
have an emergency contact identified in your wallet or
on your person somewhere. |
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There are lots of new employment
opportunities offered each month. Check the
Members Only Employment pages for
details. If you don't already have a Members
Only account, you can sign up
here |
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| Email Directory |
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If you want to be in the E-mail directory, please be sure to
update your E-mail address. E-mails are sent to the membership at
least once a week. If you aren't receiving them, it's because we do
not have your correct e-mail address. |
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