: The SCUTTLEBUTT

BMCM EDMUND COUTO CHAPTER NAVAL ENLISTED RESERVE ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 64 FALL RIVER, MA 02722-0064

From the President

We hope your turkey day went well, plenty of drumsticks, stuffed with your favorite cuisine and your families were safe. Additionally, our best wishes go to all of you for a great, happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

 

We were pleased to have shipmates Stan Kittredge SR, Jim Brennan, Dave Jacobson and John Ready with us at our 3 December chapter meeting. They had to travel nearly 2 hours to attend. Stan presented an interesting and informative briefing on the "Adventures" and navigating through the Space "A" travel system. He did such a fine job; we designated him as the Ed Couto travel authority. Anyone desiring information on traveling the Space "A" skyways are encouraged to contact Stan at 165 Summer Street, Framingham, MA 01701. Thanks Stan.

 

Our best wishes, and sincere appreciation go to our chapter members, CWO2 Dave Oliveria, GMCS(SW) Kurt Malmberg and EWCS(SW) Steve Michaud. These patriotic gentlemen are serving their country in an undisclosed location as a result of Presidential Reserve call-up. You are in our thoughts and prayers guys, hurry home!

 

If other chapter members have been recalled, would you please drop us a note if possible. We would like to keep track and offer our assistance if possible.

 

I am pleased to announce the membership renewals of: HT1 Glen Chester, HMCM William Harris, MMCS Anthony Kucikas, MA1 Francis Saunders and RM1 Stanley Spencer.

Master Chief Harris, Senior Chief Kucikas, Petty Officer Saunders and Petty Officer Spencer opted to sign up for the life membership program. Smart move.

 

Why go the life membership route? Simple! Once you have completed the program, you never receive any more dues notices. Your savings are tremendous, especially if you expect to live to be 100 or older, as I do. The annual membership dues will go up eventually along with the cost of the life membership. Buy now, save later.

 

Let me remind you, if you enter into the life membership program, you have to make your final payment within 18 months. If you do not, the monies you have paid in will be lost and if you desire to buy into the life membership in the future, you would have to start all over. Please ensure you continue as planned. Better yet, pay up front if you have the cash on hand.

 

I am pleased to report that our net loss for the year was only (3). We would much rather had a net gain instead! Most were a result of the passing of our long time member’s, but we had to recruit new members to offset the numbers that just let their membership expire. It is a continual recruiting effort residing with all of us. We request you all get involved in that process. Is your neighbor a drilling Reservist? Is a member of your church a drilling Reservist? Do you have family members supporting us that qualify as Associate Members? Are your sons and daughters on active duty members willing to be Associate Members? There are all sorts of ways of reaching prospective members. I even talk to people in shopping centers, doctor’s offices, racetrack or anywhere I can catch a willing ear. As I’ve said many times, recruiting is not "their job," it’s ours!

 

Have you visited the National Web site lately? It has taken on a new look, has loads of information, pertinent links and a membership application.

 

I am extremely proud of the support many of you offer even though travel distance prevents many of you to attend our meetings. You support us in other ways and we appreciate that. Once more, the National Conference will require extra effort by many. We are sending out a special request for volunteers from our nearly 100 local commuting distance members to help us make this Conference a success. Send us your name, telephone number and times you will be available to come to the Conference for working parties. The key areas will be, registration, transportation, bar tending and hospitality room hosts.

 

At the Navy League monthly Board of Directors meeting in October, we had a Commander from the Surface Warfare Officers School Command brief us on the schedule of events for the coming year in commemoration of 100 Years of Destroyers, 1902-2002. I have the entire tentative schedule that looks interesting and offers something for everyone.

 

The kickoff event for the centennial celebration will be a Wreath laying Memorial Ceremony onboard USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY (DD 850) at Battleship Cove, Fall River MA. Senator Ted Kennedy, Representative Patrick Kennedy and Governor Jane Swift have been invited to speak. The public will be able to view the ceremony from the pier and onboard the Massachusetts museum commencing at 1000, 20 January 2002.

Minutes of the December 3, 2001 Meeting

 

Meeting was called to order by President George Wardwell at 7:30 P.M. with the Pledge to the Flag and a Moment of silence for departed members. There were 13 members and two guests in attendance.

Secretary’s Report: Read by Bob Valcourt and a motion to accept as read was made by George Camacho and seconded by John Carvalho. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Read by Dave Quigley and a motion to accept as read was made by Dick Noble seconded by Edna Wardwell. Motion carried.

Correspondence: Newsletters from the Greater New York Chapter and a Constitution Chapter were received.

President George reported that he had sent a letter to Captain Skip Mayes requesting items for the National Conference information bags. Captain Mayes owns Northeast Promotions of RI..

President George said he would E-mail Jay Lemaire regarding pins for the National Conference.

 

Committee Reports:

National Conference: President George said he would call Don & Jane McCall of the Quonset Point Chapter to confirm a meeting date with the hotel to make plans for food etc. Some ideas and thoughts about the Friday night mixer and coffee expenses.

Bob Valcourt reported on letterhead for the chapter and would get them printed at Bristol-Plymouth Technical School.

President George reported that he had checked with the Newport playhouse regarding refunds if events following the Sept. 11 attacks prevented the Conference from being held and was happy to report that the money would be refundable so long as the deadline dates he had were observed.

 

Old Business: Dave Quigley mentioned that he would get to the Gob Shops in the near future to order a banner.

 

New Business: President George opened nominations for officers for 2002 and being none asked the present officers if they would accept their offices for the coming year. All existing officers accepted.

 

George mentioned that 3 chapter members had been recalled to active duty that he knew of and asked members to let him know if they were aware of any other members activated. The three were CW02 Dave Oliveira, Senior Chief Steve Michaud and Chief Longley. George suggested that the Chapter try to keep in touch with these members while they are on active duty. Good luck and God speed shipmates!

President George said he would compile a list of members willing to volunteer for the Conference tasks and make an attempt to get a schedule going so members could plan on when they would help out.

George also announced that the Destroyer Centennial Celebrations will get kicked off in January on board USS Massachusetts and USS Kennedy. He asked members to consider going to the ceremony to represent the Chapter with a good delegation.

 

President George turned the floor over to BTC(RET) Stan Kittredge Sr. who spoke on his experiences flying on Space A Travel and some of the procedures that needed to be followed.

He told the members he had traveled all over Europe and the US on military flights for nothing as a retiree. His informational presentation was interesting and very informative and a question and answer period followed. President George thanked Stan for taking the time to come down from Framingham to speak with his fellow members and for a great presentation.

 

Good of the Chapter: Pot Luck: #1st Place Winner: #90 Dave Quigley #2nd Place Winner: #38 Dave Quigley

(a first for Dave)

50-50 drawing: #1st Winner: John Carvalho

Motion to Adjourn: A motion to adjourn was made John Carvalho, 2nd by Bill Miller meeting ended at 9:15 PM .

Respectfully submitted by Bob Valcourt; Secretary

 

Make as many copies of the ticket as needed.

The money will go for expenses of our 45th National Conference October 2002 in Newport, Rhode Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helpful Web Sites

 

Navy Personnel Command (PERS-622) www.persnet.navy.mil/pers622/rmcm.htm

 

Naval Reserves Online www.navres.navy.mil

 

Naval Reservist News www.navres.navy.mil/navresfor/nrn/

 

Navy Times www.navytimes.com/

 

U.S. Naval History www.history.navy.mil/index.html

 

Space-A-Travel www.spaceatravel.com/

Space-A-Travel www.spaceatravel.com/

 

CPO Web Site (Goat Locker) www.goatlocker.org/

 

Navy Exchange www.navy-nex.com/

 

Naval Reserves Association www.navy-reserve.org/

 

NERA Virtual Chapter www.nera.org/virchap/

 

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PLEASE CUT OUT AND SEND TO OUR TREASURER DAVID QUIGLEY TODAY

Each Pot Luck Number is $1.00 per Month

Any Money Received on or after 01 October will go for numbers for the next year!!

 

POT LUCK DRAWING ENTRY FORM EACH NUMBER IS ASSIGNED FOR 12 MONTHS

 

NAME: (PLEASE PRINT)________________________________________________________________________

 

ADDRESS:______________________________________________________________________________________

 

CITY:___________________________________________ STATE:____________ZIP CODE:_________________

 

SIGNATURE:_______________________________________________________________________

 

AMOUNT ENCLOSED $__________________________FOR______________________POT LUCK NUMBERS

PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: EDMUND COUTO CHAPTER NERA , AND MAIL TO:

DAVID QUIGLEY, TREASURER , 56 PURCHASE STREET, REHOBOTH, MA 02769

 

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DD214

Those needing to obtain duplicate copies of their DD214 can do so by corresponding with the National Personnel Records CTR., 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63132, Attn: US Navy. Requests normally take four to six months to process. Provide your full name, rate/rank, Social Security Number, dates of service and date of birth when requesting a new copy. ( Be very carefull with this DD214)

(Do not wait if anything happens to you, your spouse may not be able to get

their benefits without this)!!!!!

Reporting a Retiree’s Death: To report the death of a Navy retiree, contact the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Casualty Assistance Branch at 1-800-269-45170 or 1-216-522-6680/81. If a Retired Activities Office, (ROA), is nearby, they can provide valuable assistance. In Connecticut, Groton, CT (SUBASE) 1-860-694-3287 daily 9am-3pm. In Massachusetts, Quincy (NAVRESCEN) 1-617-753-4636/26 Wed-Fri 12-7pm. In New Hampshire, Portsmouth, NH 1-207-438-1868 Tue/Thur 10am-2pm. In Rhode Island, Newport, RI (NETC) 1-401-841-4089 Mon/Fri 9am-3pm, Tue-Thur 9am-12.

Mark your 2002 Calendars the following dates will be our meeting nights:

Febuary 4 March 4 April 1 May 6

June 3 July (?If Needed) August (?If Needed Due to Conferance)

September 9 October 7 November 4 December 2