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ASMBA Celebrates 50 Years of Serving America’s Finest NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Armed Services Mutual Benefit Association (ASMBA) is preparing to celebrate its 50th year of serving America’s military community. The organization’s charity, the ASMBA STAR Foundation, will host events over the next several months including a charity golf tournament in September 2012 and a 5k run/walk in 2013. ASMBA was established in 1963 by military personnel headed for Vietnam who wanted to provide for their families’ security. Unfortunately, they were unable to obtain insurance coverage because they were going into a war zone. In an effort to help others facing the same issue, they created ASMBA — a true non-profit fraternal military benefit association providing security and peace of mind for members of the Armed Services and their families. ASMBA’s founders believed then as they do now that value of life is not determined by rank or branch of service, setting ASMBA apart from other organizations operating at the time. This led them to create life insurance plans available for all ranks and branches of service, during peace or war, with no duty or geographical restrictions. Col. Michael McConnell (USAF, Ret.), President of ASMBA, says one reason for the association’s success is that “for fifty years, the ASMBA membership has worked together to help each other and serve their community. The enduring tribute to the founders of ASMBA is that this spirit lives on in its current members. The desire to serve and help the military community has never been lost. In fact it is stronger than ever. When I look back at the history of ASMBA”, he goes on to say, “I am most impressed with its powerful, yet simple, message: ‘How can we better serve the men and women who serve our nation?’” The membership has grown tremendously over the years and now includes more than 60,000 men and women who have dedicated their lives to the protection of our country. In 2006, the ASMBA Board of Governors and Advisors decided that the time had come to serve the military community in ways other than insurance. This decision led to the creation of the ASMBA STAR Foundation, a non-profit foundation whose core purpose is to improve the quality of life for all military personnel, veterans and their families. Grants from the ASMBA STAR Foundation have been used to: provide care and services for disabled veterans, transitioning soldiers, military spouses and children of deployed military. The ASMBA STAR Foundation has helped more than 50 military charitable organizations with over a half million dollars in grant awards. A list of the organizations who’ve received funding can be found here. “The work we do here at the ASMBA STAR Foundation is just the tip of the iceberg”, says Cheryl Stone, Vice-President of Operations for both organizations. “I am proud to be associated with a company that believes in ‘giving back’ and I am touched by the work going on every day by the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who work tirelessly to help our military and veterans. These volunteers give their own time and money, often working 14-16 hour days, to make sure these military needs are met, and I know they can’t do it without the financial help we can provide. It makes me happy to know that not only do we meet the needs of our military in a tangible way by providing affordable life insurance, but we can also make a difference in their lives through our Foundation.” This September, the Foundation will host its second annual “Swinging fore our Heroes” Charity Golf Classic. This year’s event will be held at the Gaylord Springs Golf Links in Nashville, Tenn., on September 21, 2012. Plans are also in the works for a charity 5k run/walk to be held in Nashville in the Spring of 2013. -Cheryl Stone – 615.239.2010
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