Mrs. Patricia Bergquist is a member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of MOAA, serving as the MTC Surviving Spouse Liaison and a member of the Board of Directors since 2009. Since 2011, Patricia also serves as the TN Council of Chapters Surviving Spouse Liaison educating, encouraging, and empowering the Surviving Spouse Liaisons from each of the ten MOAA Chapters in the state.
In October 2010, she was appointed to the Surviving Spouse Advisory Committee (SSAC) at MOAA National and fulfilled the role of committee chairman two consecutive years. She served eight (8) years on the six-member committee that worked with MOAA National on issues impacting surviving spouses and families. The committee was integral in the successful repeal of the “SBP/DIC Offset” and advocated for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) parity with other federal survivor programs, health care, education and other issues that impact surviving spouses and dependents.
While serving on the Surviving Spouse Advisory Committee at MOAA National, Patricia was presented the “MOAA Leadership Award” by Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, MOAA President, for her leadership in the Cell Phones For Soldiers Campaign, and the “Chairman’s Award” by General John Tilelli, Chairman of the MOAA National Board of Directors, for her leadership on the SSAC. In October 2022, Patricia received the “MOAA Surviving Spouse Level of Excellence Award for Councils”.
Patricia serves as a resource and consultant who works “one on one” with spouses and surviving spouses on a national level, dealing with complex issues involving DFAS Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), VA Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and other related issues.
She is the surviving spouse of CDR Melvin D. Bergquist, Jr., USN (Ret.) who served over 34 years in the United States Navy. She is a native Tennessean and has resided in Nashville since 1976. She is a cum laude graduate of Belmont College, Nashville, TN. She worked in a variety of administrative, sales and customer service positions prior to her retirement in 2010.
MTC President's Letter
5/8/2025
Designated the “Military Appreciation Month,” May includes multiple appreciation days, including Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 9th), Children of Fallen Patriots Day (May 13th), Armed Forces Day (May 17th) and finally Memorial Day (May 26th) honoring those who died while serving in the military. These days celebrate and commemorate the service and sacrifice the individuals, and their families have made in support and defense of our nation.
Our chapter will participate in this celebration and commemoration of military members and their families at two events this month. On Saturday, May 24th, we will honor all those who died in the service of the country at a Memorial Day Commemoration ceremony at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on McCrory Lane. It’s a short, solemn ceremony where we recognize the losses for each military service with a wreath-laying and we remember our chapter members who died during the last year. At our May luncheon (May 27th), we will discuss some of the realities which each military member will need to address to ensure that their families receive the benefits the service member earned.
While we were not successful at the state level with the initiatives supported by Tennessee Veterans (TNVET) this year; we still have an opportunity to advocate for military members and their families at the national level. We encourage you to lend your voice to the advocacy effort through MOAA’s Legislative Action Center at https://moaa.quorum.us/ as the easiest way to make your support known to your individual members of the Senate and House of Representatives.
At our April meeting, I announced that the chapter had been awarded its 12th consecutive Five-Star Level of Excellence recognition and our fourth consecutive Four-Star Communications award for its website. We were also awarded a community engagement award for $2,000 that we will use to help alleviate food insecurity for veterans at Operation Stand Down Nashville’s annual Holiday Market in December. To support these efforts, we ask you to continue your membership in our chapter by paying your dues at “MTC MOAA, P.O Box 50252, Nashville, TN 37205” or use the new Dues Portal on MOAA’s site at https://www.moaa.org/content/chapters-and-councils/online-chapter-dues-payment--administration/ (be sure to scroll down to “Tennessee” for “Middle Tennessee Chapter”). Of course, you can bring the $25 to our next luncheon as well.
We had a great luncheon at OSDTN last month and are anticipating another one at Old Natchez Country Club, on May 27th at 11:30 am. Our own Patricia Bergquist will present a very important program on “Spouses/Surviving Spouses”, and we encourage you to bring your spouse! See you then!
Larry Cotton
CAPT, US Navy (ret.)
President
In Process: MOAA Online Account Changes
4/1/2025
MOAA has completed its Membership Module updates and is ready for members to log in https://www.moaa.org and verify/complete their PROFILE information. Please remember that your email address will be your new username, and when you first log in to the new application you may be asked to create a new password. If your first attempt at this update does not take, please try again. The Chapter cannot update your information for you, so now it is your turn to take action.
The Legislative Action Center can be accessed by opening the website, clicking on “Advocacy” and then choosing the “Legislative Action Center” from the list on the left side of the page. Please visit the MOAA Legislative Action Center soon!
MTC Membership Updates
Welcome to the new members that have joined in the 2025 membership year: