Military Officers Association of America Announces New Chairman, 12 Board Members

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, USMC (Ret), has been elected chairman of the board of directors of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).

Throughout his 43 years of military service, Waldhauser participated in various operations, including Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He also served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Special Operations Command; Commander, Marine Forces U.S. Central Command/I Marine Expeditionary Force; and Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. Prior to his retirement in 2019, he served as the Combatant Commander for U.S. Africa Command.

"The organization is now 95 years old and still going strong," said Waldhauser, who has served on MOAA's board since 2020. "As an incoming chairman, I want to continue to make the organization stronger and more meaningful for not just our members but the entire uniformed services community."

The following 12 individuals also have been elected to MOAA's 36-member board. Each will serve a six-year term.

• Maj. Gen. George A. Alexander, USA (Ret), served as deputy surgeon general in the Army, completing his career with numerous prestigious assignments, including roles at the National Institutes of Health and the White House.
• Lt. Cmdr. Lucas E. Babbitt, USNR (Ret), a decorated "Top Gun" graduate and combat pilot, is now CEO of Atomic Insights and serves as chairman of the Marines' Memorial Foundation.
• Maj. Gen. Marti J. Bissell, USA (Ret), served as commander and senior military representative at NATO Headquarters-Sarajevo. She notably served in all three Army components: Active, Guard and Reserve.
• Maj. Gen. Jeffrey B. Clark, USA (Ret), served in numerous medical command positions including as commander of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, and director of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
• Capt. Eugene M. de Lara, USN (Ret), led critical missions including Hurricane Katrina relief and health care infrastructure rebuilding in Iraq. Assignments included serving as the director of pharmacy for the National Naval Medical Center.
• Brig. Gen. Jim Dienst, USAF (Ret), served in five command roles including Surgeon General for the Air Force Reserves Command and commanding general of the 711th Human Performance Wing. He presently works as a consulting employee of Leidos Corporation.
• Col. Mary Kay Goetter, USAF (Ret), deployed numerous times in a 30-year career that included time on active duty as well as in the Guard and Reserve. She served as senior nurse scientist at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, caring for combat-wounded and educating Afghan women in safe childbirth.
• Rear Adm. Robert L. Greene, USN (Ret), served five command tours throughout a 35-year career with assignments including Deputy Commander, Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4^th Fleet, and Commander, Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron 26.
• Rear Adm. Joan Hunter, USPHS (Ret), served as a former Assistant Surgeon General and former Director of USPHS Commissioned Corps Headquarters. While working for the Defense Department, she designed a psychological health program for the National Guard.
• Gen. David G. Perkins, USA (Ret), commanded at every echelon in the Army, concluding his uniform career as commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). He is the current chair for the Professional Military Ethic at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
• Col. Charles W. Sachs, USAF (Ret), served as J6 Director of Communications, Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq and Deputy Director, Air Force Irregular Warfare Requirements. He now serves as a congressional advisor on National Security and Veterans Affairs.
• Lt. Col. Karon Uzzell-Baggett, USAF (Ret), a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program, deployed twice to Afghanistan. She concluded her service career as an AFROTC detachment commander at Tennessee State University.

"Our new class of board members bring an impressive depth of service and leadership experience," said Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), MOAA president and CEO. "Their insights will be invaluable as MOAA continues to grow and advocate for our currently serving, veterans, retirees, and all our families, caregivers, and survivors."

About MOAA: The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is the nation's largest and most influential military service organization and one of the largest veterans service organizations. It is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization. With 360,000 members from every branch of service — including active duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired, and former officers and their families — MOAA is a powerful force speaking for a strong national defense and protecting earned pay and benefits. MOAA represents the interests of our currently serving, service retirees, and veterans, as well as their families, caregivers and survivors.

SOURCE Military Officers Association of America