09/16/24

Site Updates: 16 September 2024

Photos:

2024 reunion photos

  • To view 2024 slide show video in banquet section, click on video icon and then click on ‘original image’ in bottom right and video should start

UB-282 thru 285 – new

TSN-1247 – new

 

Honor Roll:

Mosier, Dusty – updated info

Payne, Jerry C – new info

Coulson, Tom R. – updated e-mail

Our Losses:

Kaczynski, Henry M. ‘Hank’ – 20 JUL 2024

08/14/24

Receiving the Baton

By now you all have seen Rich’s resignation as the reunion location finding coordinator.  I will be assuming the role of the primary reunion coordinator beginning with the 2025 reunion.  For the most part, the transition should be transparent for reunion attendees.  However, I would like to form different committees with various tasks in setting up the reunions.  For example, a 6994th representative usually does a pre-contract visit to the proposed hotel to judge its suitability for our needs.  In the future, hopefully we will have a volunteer from that city to do the site check.  In doing this, we will save travel costs for the primary coordinator to visit the site.  I’d also like to perhaps set up a committee to discuss hospitality suite refreshments, and perhaps a committee to solicit raffle items.

There are also other topics that need to be discussed about future reunions, such as time of year and perhaps picking a ‘home city’ for the reunions, such as the Prop Wash Gang, which holds its annual reunions in Laurel, MD.  

To this end, I am asking that if you have any suggestions regarding the way the reunions are run, or have suggestions for future locations, please send them to me ASAP so they can be discussed at this year’s business meeting.  As a slight deviation in the business meeting, I would like to have any attendee (including guests) attend the meeting if they are serious about helping with future reunions.

Rick – [email protected]

08/11/24

Passing The Baton

A little over 15 years ago it was decided that we should have a reunion for the 6994th, and I wanted to be a part of that.

The first year (2009), we hired an outside firm to setup and run the reunion and optional tours. After that, it was decided that we could do a better (and less expensive) job ourselves. Again, I wanted to be a part of that.

Ever since, I have been involved in updating and sending out our Request For Proposal (RFP), looking over the responses from the various properties, selecting the hotel, as well as setting up the optional tours.

In 2019 I helped in setting up a chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America here in Franklin and was elected President of the chapter. Since receiving our National Charter that year the membership has grown to 150. Our goal is to help local veterans of ALL eras and to become an integral part of the local community. As you can surmise, this takes a large amount of my time.

Because of this, we are looking for someone (or a few people) to take over the job of setting up the reunion. Cindy (“Toots”) and I will definitely be attending the future reunions and will be more than happy to help out during the event, but I just don’t have the time to devote to both the reunion and the VVA chapter.

This will be the last reunion that I set up. I would be happy to get with whomever decides to take on this role and help them through the process and share what I have learned these past 15 years, so you will not be starting from “square one”.

I have learned that reunions are very important. While I would get aggravated and short tempered leading up to the event (just ask Toots), in every reunion I found at least one “AHA” moment which reinforced the reason for the reunion.

 I sincerely hope that someone reading this is willing to step up and take it over.

Respectfully,

Rich Krejsa

08/6/24

Site Updates: 6 August 2024

Photos:

DNG-695 – new

 

Our Losses:

Gendolfe, Ken – 11 JUL 2024 – per JJ Pitzeruse, Ray Ivey

McBride, John ‘Mike’ McBride – AKA ‘Warlord’ – 4 AUG 2024 – per Joe Giammichele