Minutes of 2010 Department Convention

Sandy Falter – introduced National and Department MCLA Officers.

PDD Dennis Dressler, Legislative/MCL Foundation committee member.

PDD Doug Shurtleff, Marksmanship committee member.

1983-1984-Stewart White; 2000-2002-John Stofiel; 2002-2004-Phil Ruhmshottel; 2004-2006-Dennis Dressler

1979-Stewart White; 1998-John F. Stofiel; 2002-Phil Ruhmshottel; 2004-Dennis Dressler; 2005-Douglas D.

Shurtleff; 2007-Daniel W. Abbott; 2008-James Q. Graham Jr.; and 2009-Paul W. Town

for the first time.

John Woods – We currently have 41 nat’l bylaw proposals, 11 of them were proposed by the nat’l board of trustees.

Shared briefly about the Khaki Shirt issue within the proposed changes there are 6 proposals on this issue, 2 have been

withdrawn and the rest will be combined into one proposal. The Division is required to have one Div conference a

year, traditionally the NW Div has held the conference in conjunction with the Marine Expo West in Oceanside, Camp

Pendleton, CA At the conference the Division Officers are elected, there are very low numbers of participation, we

work hard to get representatives from each Department in our Division to come to the Quinn Conference. What is the

Quinn? There are 5 MCL Divisions west of the Mississippi river have combined together to support “The Marine

Expo” and select Division Officers. The Quinn is rotated and hosted by the 5 MCL Divisions The National Officers

come to the Quinn, basically to seek support for their elections at the following National Convention. The basis of the

Quinn is to strengthen the vote of the divisions west of the Mississippi. The Rocky Mtn Division will be hosting the

Quin in Denver 21-22 January 2010, which is exactly what we did not want to do as the goal was to provide support to

the Marine West Expo. In order to fill this gap, I am proposing that the NW Division hold a Spring Division

conference in Oceanside at the time of the Expo. And hold a Division Conference for next year and we would

appreciate your support. The following year the NW Division will be the host for the Quinn and plans are being

developed to hold it in SDiego, and we will support the Marine Expo. At this time I would like to introduce Major

Tim Andress who has come to share with us about the Marine for Life Program.

Major Tim Andress – The M4L program has had it’s up and downs in it’s popularity and how much is out It has come

down from the Cmndn’t of the Marine Corps the M4L program along with the Wounded Warrior Regiment are under

the same umbrella. However with the current events that are going on obviously the Wounded Warrior Regiment has

taken the forefront of the program. The MCL is currently being tied in with the Regt. Which is basically to provide

support for Marines that have been injured and their families? The M4L is on the other side of that coin. Which

provides support to Marines and their families who have come to the end of their enlistment? We have an established

receive support from local mentors and employers who have registered on the site to assist Marines and their families.

Action by the M4L program will respond within 72 hours to the Marine. When the Marine submits a request it will go

to a home town link. As the responsible person for western WA hometown link the request will come to my in basket.

There is no timeline, deadline for when a Marine can utilize this program my job is to get out into the community and

make contact with community leaders, business owners, VA, Educational systems, and encourage them to become a

Marine friendly organization and register on our web site. The basis of the program is one Marine helping out another

Marine through networking. The most important part of the web site is the Marine Mentor Program where any Marine

can go onto the website and register as a mentor; the mentor is at your local level and has contacts on the ground. On a

final note I would like to introduce my 91 year old grandfather who is a Marine, WWII Veteran who came along for

the ride today.

Break Meeting re-opened.

Bill McCutchin – The Board of Trustees will meet following the meeting to review the National Bylaw proposals and

vote on behalf of the Department.

Dennis Dressler – The Department Commandant’s Council will meet following this business meeting.

Ed Falter – The Detachment Commandant’s Council will meet following this business meeting.

Eagle Scout program, Nomination forms for the Chaplain of Four Chaplains, and Proposed National Bylaw Changes;

members; Total voting members 928; we currently have 141 unpaid members. We have Retrieved 127 new

members since our last convention.

336, Pierce County 504, Wenatchee 806, Columbia River 826, Mt St Helens 889, Mt Olympus 897, and

Yakima/Kittitas 1055. All of their delegates are registered. Should a delegate vote be called for at this point

these are the only detachments that are eligible to vote in that call. I have noted in the Dept. bylaws that when

the Dept. changed the bylaws and dropped payment of a delegate fee I noted that several items within the

bylaws were not changed that affected what we do on the credentials committee which is very work intensive.

I started attending Dept Conventions in 1992 and have only observed two events wherein we called for a

delegate vote. The remaining times we simply called for the vote by an Aye or Nay or a show of hands. I will

be submitting a Dept. bylaw change concerning this issue at our next convention. I Move that until that change

is approved that we hold that entity in abeyance for our next convention and only ensure that those attending

the Convention are registered and in possession of a Convention Badge.

Detachment #528 as he has been the only active member, the other four (4) members, one of which is a dues

paying member does not actively participate. Stopped by Dale’s home and picked up his turn over package in

route to the Convention. I have contacted 4 of the 5 members, the dues paying member is moving to Hawaii

and will be joining a detachment there. The other 3 have submitted a transfer form to transfer to the Skagit

Valley Detachment. I am still working on making contact with Past Dept. Cmndn’t James Perin (1984-1986)

to see which detachment he would like his membership transferred to.

is current. I have received no confirmation that the Pierce County Detachment #504 has been reinstated yet

paper as they are over the $25,000 mark. Tri-Cities #337 No record of filing w/IRS; Mt. Rainier # 989 No

record of filing w/IRS

Member Listing of June 30 each year. Following the audit, the detachment will annotate a copy of the

Quarterly Member Listing with appropriate remarks to show additions, deletions and other adjustments. Each

adjustment will include the reason and whenever possible, will cite supporting documentation, Transmittals,

Transfer form, etc.) to assist in correcting the records in National Headquarters. The annotated Listing will be

certified to be correct as annotated by the Detachment Commandant and the Detachment Adjutant/Paymaster

(or Paymaster), and will be returned to the National Adjutant/Paymaster at National Headquarters through the

Department no later than 31 December following its receipt. No funds from the interest from the Life Member

Fund will be distributed to a detachment until the certified listing is received at National Headquarters. Should

a detachment fail to submit the annual Eligible Life Member Audit by 31 December of a given year that

Detachment’s quota of the interest distribution shall remain in the blocked fund. The Audit due the 31st of

December annually. It is recommended that when you receive the National Roster around 1 July that you do

not procrastinate and submit a copy to the Department Adjutant as soon as possible.

Expenditures: 0947.79; Ending Balance: 1798.78. Savings: Balance: 2290.94. Tom Flanik - Motion to accept the

Commandant. The WWII Marines are leaving us very quickly. All necessary notifications have been sent to National

and cards sent to survivors when known. Death notices are available at no cost from National or I can send one from

my supply. I take part in quarterly Memorial Services at the Veterans Hospital in Portland/Vancouver and perform

Chaplain Duties at the memorial for the Marines of Mt. Rainer held in Enumclaw annually on the last Saturday in

August. I continue to work in our detachment VAVS program and act as a coordinator for the nursing home visitation

program. Our visitation program includes a monthly luncheon with Veterans in a local nursing home. I continue to

have a problem with the timely reporting of Marine deaths. I request that all detachment representatives at this

meeting take some death notices from my supply here. The detachment chaplain should be the one to send the notices

to the Dept. Chaplain. I f your chaplain is not able to perform this function please appoint someone to perform this

duty.

busted his hip and leg and will be out of commission for awhile.

worked so hard to make this convention possible. Members from the Maj. Megan McClung and Skagit Valley

Detachments have worked hard to make this convention a success. Since my last report I have had the

opportunity to swear in the newly elected officers of the Columbia River & Skagit Valley Det’s. These

detachments epitomize just we are all about, continuing to make ourselves visible in our communities and

promoting the principles and values of the Marine Corps. We remain active in our support of T4T, BSA, visits

to rest & retirement homes to check in on our fellow veterans. The list is long and we continue to answer the

bell when called upon. It has been my privilege to serve as your Dept. Cmndn’t these past two years. Isn’t it

great being a Marine. As a young man I wanted to serve in the Corps. I was proud to have served in our

beloved Corps. I learned a long time ago you can take the kid of the Corps, but you can’t take the Corps out of

the man.

have revolved around the activities of my home detachment, and that information can be found in the Dept.

report. I was honored to be the installing Officer for the Mt. St. Helens Detachment in Longview, WA.

revolved around my detachment. During that time in addition to attending regular business meetings I have

been part of the kitchen crew cooking at a pancake breakfast, fund raiser for the detachment, MCLA Unit and

the MODD Pound. Additionally I have also been part of the kitchen crew for fund raisers for Marines in

financial need due to medical problems. I have also been part of the grill crew in support of the Auxiliary’s

picnic at VAMC Nursing Home Care Unit for the patients and staff.

meetings alternating between a breakfast, luncheon and dinner meetings. We provided Funeral Honors at

several ceremonies. On Memorial Day we placed wreaths in several communities in our aor, and one of those

was in South Bend, WA at the Robert Bush Memorial where our member Corpsman Robert Bush, a Medal of

Honor recipient was laid to rest.. We attended two Memorial Ceremonies at a Senior Care Center and at the

Alder House assisted living center, wreaths were laid in their gardens and taps was played. We observed Flag

Day in June at Raymond Veterans Park. We will be cooking and serving food at the Raymond Elks Lodge for

this years Veterans, Police and Fire Fighters appreciation BBZ on 29 June.

Wed brought in 7 new members this year bringing our membership strength up to 69 members. We sadly lost

two of our Marines to the Supreme Commandant. Our main fundraising venue is the Marine Rose Program

which is doing well. We participate in local Parades with our Honor Guard and hand out small flags while in

the parade. We support both BSA and GSA youth; perform Nursing Home visits during the holidays. We

have had great success with our Annual T4T program. We were present with our Honor Guard during

Memorial Day services at the local Odd Fellows Cemetery which is followed by a nice luncheon. We

will be participating in two local parades where we once again pass out small flags and we have added Marine

stickers to this venue. Wee continue to support and fight for Veterans legislation here in our State Capital

wherein two of our members represent the Dept. of WA.

still having problems with getting on Ft. Lewis with our YM Unit so we have teamed up with the Carbon

Glacier YM’s in Enumclaw and hope to be utilizing our T4T warehouse to conduct our YM program. One of

our former YM’s just graduated from the Naval academy and was commissioned a 2ndLt in the Corps. We

have been successful in developing our BSA and have thus far presented 3 Eagle Scout Certificates. We are

using the Red Rose program for fundraising; we have been successful in providing support for the MCJROTC

unit at Snohomish High School. Two of our members have been selected to participate in the Dutch Marine

at Ft. Lewis. Our detachment members traveled to Spokane for the dedication of the Wa State Cemetery and

the Spokane Review covered this event and our picture was in the article. Our website has been updated.

Maritime Day Parade receiving the “Judge’s Choice Award”. At the close of our meetings we sing our Hymn

loud and clear for AMVETS Post 1 members who are in the bar.

have been raising funds for a bone marrow transport for Marine John Knighten and have brought in over

$6,000. Participated in Navy week, the 100 Yr BSA Jamboree held at the Spokane fairgrounds. Held our

annual Memorial Day ceremony at Fairmount Memorial Park and hosted a luncheon following. The same day

we had Marines at the dedication of the Eastern WA Vert4rans cemetery near Medical Lake, WA. Donated

funds to send a Marine to the east coast to attend a Memorial in honor of his units lost Marines; we hosted a

coffee stop on I-90, one of our annual fundraisers. We held a spaghetti dinner fundraiser to support a Marine,

Jake Wagoner with a serious illness and raised over $2400. We attended a Veterans Forum at WSU Spokane

Marine Breakfast at VFW Post 51. Held a family day at the Naval Operations Support Center. We held our

annual VA Picnic at the Spokane VA Medical Center providing hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings

for approximately 75 Veteran inpatients.

community. The # of active members had reached a low and has been unable to support previous ventures we

were involved with in the community. We are working hard to bring our membership back up and have

recently brought in 5 new members. We have elected and installed new officers as of this report and

recruitment efforts will continue. We have several “reader boards” in Wenatchee and they will be displaying

WE participated in the Annual Memorial Day services in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. A WW I memorial

that had been erected in the Wenatchee Cemetery had to be rededicated due to the Veterans Hall burning down

we rededicated it on Memorial Day.

Veterans residing at the VA Hospital in Vancouver; conducted three coffee stops at the Toutle River rest stop.

We utilize the MCL Rose Program for fund raining and do well with that. We held our annual picnic and did

some fund raising there to support our Auxiliary. We had a banquet to say goodbye to Chuck and Rosemary

Foster. Participated in Memorial Day services. Participated in two parades and we had a dinner and

installation of Officers ceremony. We provide Honors at funeral ceremonies. Several Eagle Courts of Honor

where we provide a certificate and American Flag.

added 10 new members this past year. 6% of our members are on active duty. 3 of our members hold elected

and/or appointed officers with the Dept. As the designated Honor Guard for our County we have been

providing honor for 2-4 veterans’ funerals per month. In addition we participate in various civic patriotic

ceremonies and we also participate in our Liberty Remembrance ceremony at 1300 on the last Friday of every

month honoring deceased local Veterans of all services. We supported a recent reunion of shipmates for the

USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786) and our members served as guides for those attending. We are partners

in a local Homeless Veterans Stand Down of which we hold three annually. We have two Deputy VAVS

representatives we provide support at the Soldiers Home in Retsil, WA with goods and cash donations. We

annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball at the Elks Lodge in Sequim, WA. Our Honor Guard will participate in

Veterans Day ceremony at the USCG Air Station in Port Angeles, WA. We have members who speak at local

high schools, and we provided two scholarships to college bound students at their high school graduation

ceremonies. We have also provided leadership camp scholarships for the NJROTC cadets to distinguished

cadets at a public recognition ceremony. Despite bad weather and the economic downturn our T4T program

was an enormous success. We actually had a 25 % increase over the previous year. We also continued our

long-standing “Adopt-a-Family” Christmas basket program working with our Port Angeles High Schools. We

are also involved with the Sequim Quilters Guild, helping finance their program and making periodic

contributions to the Sea-Tac USO hot dog fund.

1600 Break for evening. 1000 26 June 2010 Meeting reconvened

Rose Program in several locations. On Memorial Day we teamed up with our local VFW Post, we placed

flowers on the Marine Memorial, Blackhawk Memorial, and the Purple Heart Memorial. We conducted a “fire

watch” which symbolizes the watch fires at Valley Forge when Gen Washington ordered up watch fires to be

built up so the lost and wounded soldiers could find their way back to friendly lines. Our YM’s and members

set up a 24 hour watch for this.

to all of our members. Performed 3 Flag Folding Ceremonies at local cemeteries. Brought in 3 new members

and contributed funds to support Cpl Wagner and his family who is dealing with a brain tumor. We presented

21 flags w/certificates for Eagle Scout Courts of Honor; In Lieu of our meeting we will be having a

detachment picnic at “Big Lake” 11 July we will be providing security for a Veterans benefit picnic raising

funds for a Veterans Assistance program.

Retirement ceremony where we disposed of 55 flags; In May we were the lead Color Guard for our

community parade; Hosted a Memorial Day Parade; and would like to thank Dan Nelson from Puget Sound

Det for bring his biker group across the mountain to participate; We participated in yet another parade in

Union Gap, WA; Participated in 2 Memorial Day services; We participate in funeral Honors; Our local VFW

had a major fire and called upon us to assist them, they are seeking donations to assist with rebuilding their

post. We had a change of command at our Reserve Center

funeral details w/ flag folding and firing squads; we joined with the Skagit Valley Det. in a Purple heart

presentation to WWII Marine at his Retirement facility; We provided color guards for 5 parades on Whidbey

Is. during this past year; Members of the detachment appeared in numerous middle school classrooms in

Langley, WA to support their Veteran Day studies; We supported the Veterans Day ceremony in Freeland,

WA and at the American Legion Hall in Bayview, WA. Our T4T efforts were extremely successful with over

12, 000 toys collected, and we distributed over 11,500 toys with our local population. We held fund raising

activities for the Marine helping Marines program at local grocery stores and supported the Maj. Megan

McClung Memorial Run which raised in excess of $5,000. this last year. In 2010 we will be conducting fund

raising activities to benefit the Semper Fi Fund and to complete funding for 3 scholarships to be awarded at

three high schools on the island. In conjunction with the Skagit Valley Det., we assisted in funding and

supporting our annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Our efforts to grow the detachment continue with the

year. The Marine support Detachment o the island will no longer be hosting the run and the detachment will

be taking responsibility for it. This will result in us needing abut 25 volunteers to man and assist various parts

of the run. If you can and would like to assist please contact me.

set up fee loaned to us for our start up.. We held a fundraiser at the Bow Hill Coffee Stop. Our4 T4T

campaign went well we collect 11,196 toys servicing 1290 families, distributing 3,701 toys and collected

detachment commandants on recruiting and retention. (1) Alternate meting locations and types. Hold business

meeting one month and an informal on alternate months. (2) Promote spousal involvement and Auxiliary

functions. (3) Carry business cards that include meeting locations & times. (4) Use local media as much as

possible; recognize their support w/certificates of appreciation and/or listing them on your programs, banners,

etc. (5) Keep in contact with your LM’s and encourage their active participation. (6) Involve other Veterans

in the T4T program. (7) Write about your events & submit them to you local news media, self promotion

works. (8) Hold a rifle/pistol shoot or other activity unique to Marines and invite all Marines. (9) Listen to

your members and work with their ideas. (10) Hold “All Marine” family barbeque. (11) Use “Marine

Veteran” rather than “Former Marine”. (12) Use electronic media to get the word out i. e. Face book, web

sites, etc. (13) Get listed on the WDVA website calendar of events, also local news media calendars. (14)

Use the Work source Veteran representatives to pass info about the MCL. (15) Advertise the Marine Corps

Birthday Ball. (16) Get involved in the Marine for Life Program. (17) Contact your County Veterans

Association and provide information about the MCL (18) Take an active part in homeless stand down’s (19)

Make your presence in the T4T Program a high profile activity. (20) Share ideas, opportunities and facility

availability with all detachments.

were PDC”s Phil Ruhmshottel, John Stofiel, Stu White and myself. The council had two suggestions to make

to the body. First, it cannot be stressed enough that the Detachments must make sure to complete the annual

report to the IRS to ensure that they do not lose their status as a nonprofit. Reports from the field are that the

first notice you get that you have not filed in three years is when you are notified that you have already lost

your status as a nonprofit. Second, we are gratified by the great turn out, especially by first time attendees at

the convention, and we encourage everyone to bring other with them to the Staff Meeting and the annual

convention to increase the participation at the Dept. level.

the end of June 2011 and the hosting fees for the internet provider have been paid through the end of June

2012. If a detachment has a web site send me the link and I will put on the site. Any suggestion/

recommendations for the site let me know.

Ed Falter, SrVice Dan Abbott, Jr. Vice Rex Hopper, we have 2 nominations for J/A Tom Flanik and Jim

Renton. There will be nominations from the floor and the elections will be the last order of business.

submitting our Dept. Budget at the next Staff meeting.

vote on the Proposed Nat’l bylaw changes of which all detachments received in March. I am assuming that

each detachment reviewed the proposed changes; I have not received any recommendations from the

detachments as to the proposed changes. Your Dept. Board of Trustees reviewed 41 proposed changes and

voted on them on behalf of the Dept. WA membership. I will provide a copy of the vote for our Delegates at

the National Convention. (See attachment for results of the Board of Trustees vote.)

Detachment and Departments will have until October 31, 20110 t get the results to the Chairman of the

Committee to be considered for trophy plaques. All the rules and necessary forms are available on the

National MCL web site. Go to the homepage menu and click on competitions – Rifle and Pistol Matches. The

rifle course of fire has been altered to make the match more shooter friendly. 10 shots standing, 10 kneeling,

10 sitting and 10 in the prone. All positions are slow fire at a time limit of one minute per shot. The match

must be shot at 200 yards on the NRA SR target or at 100 yards at the NRA reduced target. The pistol match

is still 10 shots slow fire, 10 shots timed fire and 10 shots rapid fire. This string of fire is fired twice for a total

of 60 shots for the record. All firing is done at 25 yards. For complete rules to the MCL web site read and

copy. All the forms for submitting scores can be printed out. Entry fee is $10.00 per shooter.

the MOY society and your Dept. Adj/Paymaster using their spare time writing nominations and getting them

turned in by the Spring Staff meeting. Detachment recommendations were sadly lacking again except for two

detachments that sent in some individual recommendations. With the numerous awards to be given out some

will have to hand out during the meeting. Again this year there were no nominations for the Dept. Recruiter

Silver award. A brief outline of three awards available, the order of precedence and the wearing of stars for

subsequent awarding of ribbons. The same rules apply fro all three of the below listed awards: Distinguished

Citizen Medal Gold, Distinguished Citizen Medal Silver and Distinguished Service Medal Bronze. On each of

the aforementioned Distinguished Citizen/Serve Medals a 5/16” gold star will be worn to indicate additional

awards and 5/16: Silver Star will be worn in place of five gold stars. On all other awards the subsequent stars

are the bronze 3/16”. A 3/16” Silver Star will be worn in place of five bronze stars and a gold star will be

worn in place of five silver stars. This is unless it is further noted in Enclosure Four (4) of the MCL By-Laws.

Americanism Award participation and that was from the Mt Olympus detachment #897. I sent out emails to

ALL Detachment Commandants with no replies. I had one submission from Mt Olympus detachment #897

therefore I will notify the Detachment Commandant that they have won the Dept. Award for 2010 and took an

honorable mention at the National level. I received the form and scrapbook from the Columbia River Det.

however it had 2009 on the front of the scrapbook and needs to be revised.

the paymaster’s books. Following lunch we will meet here for the Memorial Service

detachments. There is a beautiful certificate to present to our Eagle Scouts and I encourage each of you to get

involved with the BSA. Would also like to receive an email from your detachment letting me know who your

representatives are with this program.

Mt St. Helens Det., Rick Crossley of Skagit Valley Det., Randy Ott of the MM Smith Det. and John Stofiel of

the Columbia River Det. for responding to my inquiry for what your detachments are doing for homeless

Veterans. These are the only detachments who responded.

In response to a mandate from the Health Act to present a National Strategic plan, the U. S. Interagency

Council on Homelessness recently submitted a landmark plan entitled “Opening Doors”: A plan to prevent and

high priority to ending Veterans and chronic homelessness by 2015. The plan reflects interagency agreement

on a set of priorities that the agencies will pursue over a five-year period and will serve as a roadmap for joint

action by 19 such member agencies along with local and state partners in the public and private sectors. The

four Key Objectives defined in the plan are: Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness. Prevent and end

homelessness among Veterans. Prevent and end family homelessness. And set a path to ending all types of

2988 counties and 1065 cities, published on 18 June 2010, showed, among other items that Veterans

constituted 11% of the total sheltered homeless population and 5% of the U. S. Poverty population.

Washington state with 8264 homeless veterans was ranked 5th highest in per capita % of homelessness among

the 50 states. While homeless Veterans represent fewer than 2% of the state’s Veteran population, they

constitute 26% of Washington’s homeless population.

in Yakima, WA and will be presented at this evening’s banquet. The Dept MOY Society which is made up of

all previous Dept. Marines of the Year will have their annual breakfast on Sunday morning at 0900.

involved in T4T program need to get their reservations in for the seminar in Sept. no later than 31 July 2010.

Back in January I sent a query to all of the detachments on their involvement in 2009, sad to say only 50%

responded. I know more detachments participated; it only takes 5 minutes to sit down figure out the numbers

and send them to me.

Jr. Vice Rex Hopper Nominations from the floor thrice, no other nominations for above positions, Adjutant

cast ballot for each. Judge Advocate position being contested: Tom Flanik and Jim Renton. One nomination

from the floor Randy Ott. Each candidate given opportunity to identify themselves and give brief synopsis of

their qualifications. Jim Renton was selected as the Dept. J/A. A unanimous ballot was cast by the Adjutant.

the meeting.

Columbia River Det. We have been on this side of the mountain for 2 years now and if possible I think we

might look at going to the other side of the mountains. Dan Montgomery, Yakima Det. in a close vote by our

detachment I have been authorized to bid for the Dept. Convention in 2011 to be held in Yakima, WA Dennis

carried. Olympia accepted to bid and be host for the 2012 Dept. Convention.

to add to our Dept colors from the Dept. Convention in Connecticut.

National Convention in Boise, ID. this is about a fundraiser for the convention. It is a about a “Cougar Hunt”

the hunt will take place in the fall/winter. It is $5.00 per chance. The total value of the prize will be 6-7,000.

dollars, which will include air fare from any major city in the country to Boise is included. If you decide you

want to take your trophy home with you there is a taxidermist who will take care of you at your own expense.

You can go on the National convention website to procure tickets. (See website under announcements.)

[Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971] Jim Renton all of

Chesty’s treasures have been donated to his Alma Mater VMI in their Hall of Honor.

rose down to lay on the alter representing the death of her husband. He was a member of the Skagit Valley

Det. His name was not read off as one of our fallen, as a report of his death was not provided to the Dept.

Chaplain, this kind of thing happens quite often and that it is why it is important that each detachment forward

the appropriate notice to our Dept. Chaplain. We will present the wife of the Marine with the 26 roses from

the altar at the banquet this evening.

welcome to join with us. I received a call from the VA, one of the social workers over at the bone marrow

clinic. The Marine patient had pretty much exhausted all of his funds and needed to get back to SDiego for fx

down there and for various reasons he did not have the finances to go there. The Social worker wanted to

know if the MCL could assist him. In talking to him and the social worker she had retrieved our information

from the League in CA. My concern is that the VA here should have our contact information available to

them and suggest that we provide those in the VA, Veterans Assistant organizations our information.

in the state. Let them get to know who you are, so when something comes up like Dan mentioned comes up

Fleet Reserve Association and I do claims for Veterans through the internet. There is no time limit on Veteran

claims The Veteran does not have to go through the paper work, the VSO’s do that for them and all they have

to do is sign the documents.

Petty Officers. Today the community boasts more than 25,000 sailors. Because the rating serves with the

Marine Corps and thus is often in the line of fire, 2012 Corpsmen have been killed in action to date. This

includes 1170 in WWII, 109 Korean War, 639 in the Vietnam War, in 1983, 15 died in the bombing of the

Marine Barracks in Beirut. Since 2001, 13 have died in Afghanistan and 29 in Iraq. Twenty two “Docs” have

been awarded the Medal of Honor, 174 have earned the Navy Cross and 31 more have been awarded the

Army’s Distinguished Service Cross, in addition 946 received the Silver Star.

citizenship and we will be asking the Dept. for support. Because they are Veterans of Korea they do not

retrieve Veteran benefits from Korea and because they are not U. S. Veterans they do not receive benefits from

The U. S. With the assistance from Senator Chinn we have received positive support to recognize these

Korean Veterans. Our next step is to retrieve support from Senator Murray on the Federal level to help these

Veterans who suffered the same along side of our veterans in RVN. When we go to Senator Murray we will

be asking for a letter of support

move them under the awning in front of the hotel while you are traveling to the growl.

room is closed.

was noted that our Commandant Bill “Coach” McCutchin is memorialized in the Coaches Hall of Fame at

SAEFCO field.

Hotel at Four Seasons 3121 High Point Road at I-40, Greensboro, NC 27407 Reservations: 800-242-6556

2. The 2011 Quin Conference The 2011 Quin Conference will be held on January 21 & 22, 2011 at the Red Lion

Hotel located at 4040 Quebec St, Denver CO. Room rates are $89.00 (prices are subject to change) ask for the

Quin Conference rate when making your hotel reservations by calling 303-321-6666 or 800-RED-LION (800-

733-5466), rooms have wireless internet. Hotel restaurant seats 120 people. Banquet will be $40.00 perperson.

Shuttles are available from Denver International Airport to the hotel.

4. PDD Phil Ruhmshottel – all past recipients of the Pack Dog of the year we will meet following this meeting to

select our PDOY

5. Worthy Pack Leader PDD Doug Shurtleff the Grand Growl of the MODD will convene at 1430 following this

meeting.