Local WAC members ‘invade’ Pentagon

At the invitation of Pentagon officials, a group of World Affairs Council-Ventura County (WAC-VC) members recently "stormed" Washington, D. C. to visit and tour the nation’s defense headquarters.

During one of its ongoing distinguished speakers’ programs WAC-VC was "challenged and encouraged to come to the Pentagon and see how government works," said Norma Maidel, the group’s vice chairman.

Some members accepted the challenge and combined the Pentagon visit with the opportunity to represent the county during the national World Affairs Council conference.

During the private tour, county delegates were given the royal treatment, lunched in the Pentagon executive dining room and allowed a number of opportunities to chat informally with high level officials including the Secretary of Defense and members of his policy and public affairs staff, Maidel said.

"Our membership didn’t permit the special treatment to calm the quest for knowledge," Maidel said. "The officials we met were asked tough questions regarding the weapons in space programs, U.S. exit policy in the Middle East and what, if anything, can be done to better protect our troops."

While in Washington, WAC-VC members were among the first to hear remarks by newly-retired Secretary of State Colin Powell during a dinner in which Powell was presented a life achievement award.

During the dinner meeting, attended by more than 350 delegates from the 86 WAC chapters throughout the country, Powell commended the individual councils for the work done to educate the grass roots.

"In this day of media, Internet, and all the sources of information availability, there is no greater service you can provide than creating environments for the people of America to meet the policy-makers and bureaucrats first hand," Powell said.

Referring to the ongoing distinguished speakers’ series sponsored by the councils, Powell said that the commitment to create venues for the disbursement of information is vital to guarantee the freedom Americans experience and are spreading to other parts of the world.

WAC-VC delegates were allowed a number of opportunities to chat informally with Powell and members of his policy and public affairs staff.

In addition to Maidel, the Ventura County delegation consisted of members of the WAC Board Jeri Andrews, Thousand Oaks; Dr. Yvonne Bodle, Channel Islands; William Buenger, Camarillo; Judy Cofer, Camarillo; Paul Doody, Ojai; and Mark Maidel, Camarillo.

General members attending the conference included Gus Andrews, Thousand Oaks; Joni Berger, Camarillo; Richard Fantauzzo, Thousand Oaks; William Hesse, Oxnard; Darryl Kennedy, Westlake; Larissa Nelson, Fillmore; and WAC-VC Executive Director Jay Berger.

"Of the 86 WAC chapters represented at the conference we had one of the largest delegations," Maidel said. "We can be very proud of our community. We have an involved, participating group of motivating people with interests in world affairs and the workings of our country’s institutions."

For info about WAC-VC’s upcoming programs, call the headquarters at (805) 988-0784 or visit www.worldaffairscouncilvc.org.