The Kingdom of the Sun Chapter of The Retired Officers Association was organized by 57 TROA members at a meeting held at the Holiday Inn, Silver Springs, Florida on 18 February 1976. By-laws were adopted and officers and directors elected. The Chapter Board of Directors held its first meeting on 1 March 1976.

The Chapter was incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April 1976 and received its Charter (#735551) from TROA on 15 May 1976 with 157 officers and others as Charter Members. The Charter was presented on behalf of The Retired Officers Association Board of Directors by RADM Edwin R. Swinburne, USN, President of the Florida Council of TROA Chapters.  By the end of 1976 membership had grown to 189.

Membership is open to those who are or have been commissioned or warrant officers of the seven U. S. uniformed services and the reserve and other components of these services and the widow(er) of any deceased who would, if living, be eligible for membership. On 31 March 2002 the Chapter had 242 members.

Regular meetings are held monthly, normally on the fourth Thursday, at the Ocala Silver Springs Hilton Hotel on SR 200 at Exit 68 off I-75. The actual meeting schedule is announced in the Chapter Newsletter, SUNBEAMS. Reservations are required and should be made by contacting the Chapter 2nd Vice President. For dinner meetings, there is a social hour at 6:00 PM, dinner at 6:30 PM followed by a speaker or entertainment program. An Annual Business Meeting is held in November for election of officers, who are installed at the January meeting. A Memorial Service is conducted at each Annual Business Meeting in memory of members or their spouses who have passed away within the past year.

The Chapter Board of Directors meets at 1 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month in Room 104, Building 5, at Central Florida Community College in Ocala.

The Chapter is actively involved in the community through members� participation in charities, business groups and volunteer organizations. The Chapter awards and annual scholarship to a local senior enrolling in one of the service academies or a senior ROTC program. We have had some success in receiving corporate sponsorship monies in connection with our IRS 501-C(3) Scholarship Board status. Scholarship awards are now at the $1200 level.

Chapter representatives have become increasingly active in the Marion County Veterans Council and the recently established Ocala Marion County Veterans Memorial Park. Activities include participation in dedications, parades, flag retirement ceremonies, etc. Our Chapter has organized, and remains active in, a Veterans in Classrooms program, and three of our members have handled approximately 700 phone calls from individuals requesting information on Tricare for Life. These calls were stimulated by our articles the local news media. We also mailed out over 200 information packets as a result of the calls.

The Chapter has received a number of National MOAA awards: Outstanding Chapter 1993, 1995, 1996; Chapter of the Year (Runner-up) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000; Outstanding Newsletter 1996, 1997, 2000, and Outstanding Newsletter (Runner-up) 1998. 2002 marks the third year that Kingdom of the Sun Chapter hosted the Florida Council of Chapters Annual Convention.

The KOS Chapter has an active Ladies Auxiliary organization called KOS Plus, which has its own agenda, activities and veteran-oriented charities. Joint activities during the year are planned. A joint Membership Directory is published annually, which includes the By-Laws of each organization.

With the goal of jogging memories concerning meeting times and attracting new members, notices of meetings, programs and other activities are currently being published in three newspapers circulating within the Chapter's territory.

Kingdom of the Sun Chapter (FL14)

Catchment area Zip Codes

32111, 32113, 32133, 32134, 32158, 32159, 32162, 32179, 32182, 32183, 32192, 32195, 32617, 32625, 32634, 32640, 32662, 32663, 32664, 32667, 32668, 32681, 32686, 32696, 34420, 34421, 34430, 34431, 34432, 34433, 34434, 34470, 34471, 34472, 34473, 34474, 34475, 34476, 34477, 34478, 34479, 34480, 34481, 34482, 34483, 34484, 34488, 34489, 34491, 34492