By C.K. Gailey

Several members of the Chapter just got back from the 65th National Reunion in Indianapolis.  A great time was had by all.  If you haven’t been to one of these, you should try to make the next one.  The location of Indianapolis was especially significant since that was where the first Association meeting was held in 1946.

Speaking of the next one, the 2011 National Reunion will be in Lexington, KY, on August 16-21, at the Griffon Gate Marriott.  Make your plans now.  Also, there will be a Snowbird Reunion in Feb 2011 at the Orlando Wyndham.  Stay tuned.

The plans for the 2012 Reunion are firming up.  Current planning has it held in Nashville, TN at the Marriott Renaissance 14-18 Aug, but not all the agreements are in place.  These dates overlap with the Week of the Eagles.  Much of the Active Division will have rotated back to Ft. Campbell, so the event will be extensive. 

The Division has already agreed to shift their dates from 8-16 Aug to 14-21 Aug to accommodate the Association.  The plan is to have a joint commemoration of the Division’s 70th Anniversary on 16 Aug, with transportation provided.  Also in the planning stage is a combined Memorial Dinner on Friday, 17 Aug, in Lexington.  Again, stay tuned.        

More on the Reunion.  The Association has had some real success in getting the regiments to join us for the event, with accommodation for their own dinners.  I can tell you from personal experience the Currahees were very active, with a lunch and a picnic supper.  The lunch was a real treat, since the regiment had gone to great lengths to host the Five-O-Sink veterans of WW II.  We had 22 of them at Indianapolis and that made it really special.           

The Association Board of Governors, in conjunction with unit meetings, voted on several Resolutions pertaining to the business of the Association. 

• A budget for next year was passed.  The best news there is that the dues increases voted last year have put the Association back on solid fiscal track.  Since that was the purpose of the increase, it was gratifying to see the success.  It was pointed out that the budget for FY2011 is $376,500 which reflects a great increase in the health of the Association in just a few years.

• A total of over $74,000 in donations between Feb and Aug was accepted.  This included $40,000 from HBO: $25,000 for the Screaming Eagle Support Fund and $15,000 for the Operating and Welfare Fund.  Also, Charles Kratz gave $16,000 to the Scholarship Fund.

• The Board approved a set of revisions to the Guidelines for the Screaming Eagle Support Fund, based on the desire to streamline the award process.  The two most significant changes are increasing the amount the Executive Secretary-Treasurer can approve to $750 (from $300) and allowing any Association member or Division Liaison NCO to approve requests from soldiers in a hospital (in lieu of a company commander).  Other changes will be published later, or see me.

• The Board approved the withdrawal of $2500, which had been removed from the Monument Fund and placed in the Screaming Eagle Support Fund, and its restoration to the Monument Fund.

Looking forward, planning continues for the events marking Veterans Day, which is on a Thursday this year.  As in the past, we will be laying a Division wreath at the Vietnam Wall as part of the National Commemoration beginning at 1 PM.  Following that ceremony, we will host a ceremony at the Eagle monument beginning at 3 PM.  Plans include a hospitality suite on Wednesday, November 10th.          

  This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the airplane crash at Gander, Newfoundland, in which 248 Screaming Eagles, most members of 3/502, died returning from peacekeeper duty in the Sinai.  We are going to be part of the National commemoration of that disaster in Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday, December 12, the anniversary of the crash.  There are 24 victims of the crash in Arlington.         

   During the Awards dinner one of our members was recognized for having recruited, out of all the Association members, the second-most new members into the Association.  That honor goes to Morris Pearson, our Chapter Vice-President.  Way to go, Morris.  Since membership is the life’s-blood of the Association, and new members are the future, Morris’ efforts are showing the rest of us how to keep this 101st Asscoiation alive.  Many thanks.