BULLETIN #16

REUNION UPDATE #15

REUNION UPDATE #14

REUNION UPDATE #13

REUNION UPDATE #12

REUNION UPDATE #11

REUNION UPDATE #10

REUNION UPDATE #9

REUNION UPDATE #8

REUNION UPDATE #7

REUNION UPDATE #6

REUNION UPDATE #5

REUNION UPDATE #4

REUNION UPDATE #3

REUNION UPDATE #2

REUNION UPDATE #1

Bulletin #16

Announcing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Center
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
1023 Fifteenth St. NW
Washington, DC 20005

Refer to the official website and promotion video clip below:
www.vvmf.org
video clip

Reunion Update #15

Recap of the 4-67 TBS Reunion
Alexandria, Virginia
May 16-19, 2007

This was the first Reunion of our TBS (The Basic School), Class 4-67, which graduated in May 1967. All of us had school assignments beyond graduation before going to WesPac (Western Pacific ie. Vietnam and Okinawa). For a number of us, graduation day was the last we were to see each other until this Reunion.

Elyse and I flew on May 16 from Atlanta to Reagan International in Washington and then took the shuttle to the Sheraton in Old Town Alexandria. We had a cocktail party that night where we began the process of becoming reacquainted with my brothers in arms. My observation is that we had all aged and initially it was difficult to recognize faces, but then as the names of 40 years ago started to stir our recollections, the memories started bubbling up to consciousness. It helped also in the reconnecting process that some of the men had contributed to a book of reminiscences.

On Thursday we took buses to Quantico and visited OCS-Mainside. We had a presentation by Colonel Robert Chase, the Commanding Officer for OCS, who brought us up to date on OCS and the training that takes place. Incidentally, he is one of only 9 Marine Officers who served in Vietnam that is still on active duty. The Colonel shared with us some of his observations of the current Officer Candidates. They are highly motivated and well educated and very intelligent. Female Candidates are fully integrated into the OCS and TBS programs with the only allowances being made in terms of adjustments being made in the height of the barriers in the Obstacle Course, pull-ups, and running time.

There are what were described as significant (and in 2 aspects cultural issues) that the Staff has to deal with today that they did not encounter 40 years ago.
1. There is a minimum fitness level expected of the Candidate upon arrival and they are tested the first week for their level of fitness: Three Mile Run in 24 minutes, 7 Pull-ups and Crunches (they no longer do sit-ups) in 60 seconds.
2. Most of these Candidates are not accustomed to wearing shoes with hard soles and heels-in other words they have grown up wearing mostly tennis shoes and consequently it takes about 3 weeks to break them into wearing boots.
3. Given the changes in American culture, for those Candidates who did not participate in contact sports, violence has to be taught. This was again reiterated at TBS during the Martial Arts Demonstration. Children from elementary school onward are not allowed to fight but are taught to “negotiate” a settlement to any differences. I know that fighting draws an immediate expulsion from my son’s school.

As we experienced, the training at OCS still is focused on a physically demanding routine with no letup. At both OCS and TBS, the goal remains at physically stressing the individual beyond most normal limits combined with demands on the individual’s fatigued brain to listen, learn, apply and respond to questions. This training regimen allows the Staff NCO’s and supervising Officers to evaluate how the individual makes decisions with physical stress and fatigue as factors potentially affecting decision making. Most notably at OCS there is much more interaction between the Candidates and their Platoon Officers all of whom are fresh back from the War Zones.

Overall the area around the OCS Barracks looks about the same except that several new buildings have been added. The trains still come through about every 30 minutes and my guess is that the Barracks and racks still shake as they did 40 years ago.

The visit to TBS was a bit sad in that the buildings are showing their age. I recall that when we started TBS in January 1967, most of the buildings were only a couple of years old. There is a ten year building program which will replace all the current buildings with the goal in mind of creating a Marine Corps Academy with state-of-the-art facilities. Lt. Colonel Steven Geracoulis, the Executive Officer, reviewed the curriculum and some of the more obvious changes. For example they no longer train at our old jungle combat village but have replicated an urban environment similar to what Marines are dealing with in today’s Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We had lunch on the Mess Deck which looks pretty much like what I remembered. About the most significant change is that food is prepared and served by a civilian contractor. In the hallway leading to the Mess Deck hang the pictures of staff and recent TBS Graduates who have died in today’s Wars. Included were the sons of our classmates, Ed Blecksmith and Rich Gannon.

We were provided with a demonstration of the new approach to Martial Arts Training that is being taught now throughout the Marine Corps. It was most impressive and again we heard the observation that now the instructors are having to teach a culture of violence. As was stated, we are in the killing business. At the same time, the Staff is also focused on the issue of ethics as illustrated by the discussion of the question posed at OCS as to what do you do with a wounded enemy when your unit has to move on. This part of the package is taking a high priority given the nature of the interaction with “civilians” in both Iraq and Afghanistan and the prevalence of instant news media reporting with the danger of the inherent trial by the media reporting the evening news back home.

Notable also was the new respect from institutions and corporations of the concepts of teaching leadership. Representatives of Harvard, the Wharton School of Business and Emory University visit TBS to learn our approach. While laudable, one wonders about how these academics understand the concept of “it is not about me, it is about looking out for my Marines”. As an aside, the greatest demonstration of corporate leadership I have ever seen was when General Rathvon Tompkins visited us at Khe Sanh. His concern was our welfare-how were we doing and what did we need. He is the model against which I measured every corporate leader I ever encountered. Most of them were found to be severely lacking in these very basic qualities of leadership.

We went to the new Marine Corps Museum in Quantico which just opened on November 10, 2006. It is spectacular and the exhibits cover the full history of the Marine Corps with an emphasis on WWII and Vietnam. The displays are world class and most significantly the entrance into the section devoted to Vietnam is down the ramp of a CH-46, complete with sounds and hot wind. Significantly a special emphasis is placed on the time period of our service, the environment we worked in and quite candidly portions of the exhibits brought back such vivid memories that I could feel the tears welling up. For my experience, I finally got to see a Russian made 122mm gun which had been captured. Along with rockets and mortars, this huge gun was able to bring death to so many Marines at places like Khe Sanh, Con Thien and Gio Linh. Its range was greater than most of the artillery we could bring to bear and its accuracy was excellent.

After a quick visit to Camp Upshur, we returned to the Museum for a private reception.

Talk about a trip back in time, Camp Upshur has seen very few changes since our days there. One of the Quonset Huts was open and I was able to show Elyse the close quarters. As I explained to her, I got off the train from Richmond at Quantico and immediately got on a bus to Camp Upshur. I think none of us had anything to compare with the place and so we accepted it as where we were going to live for a while. As one of our guys commented during our meeting Saturday morning, none of us ever would want to go to Camp Upshur again.

On Friday we went to the Vietnam Memorial (aka The Wall) in Washington where we held a service of remembrance-see the program. John Augustine has written a poem entitled “The Boys of Quantico” which will be available on the website. Joe Adcock talked about the healing process that he has been part of with the VA. Ed Blecksmith spoke of his son Lt. J.P. Blecksmith who died in Iraq and Rich Gannon spoke of his son Capt. Richard Gannon who also died in Iraq and leaves a family of 4 young children-see the discussion of Saturday morning concerning scholarship funding. During this service of Remembrance, led by Larry VanSpriell, one could not think of our classmates who died in Vietnam or have died since Vietnam as well as these two young men without tears and a very heavy heart. We lost 34 brothers in Vietnam.

Friday evening we attended the Sunset Parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I. It lived up to its billing and my expectations in terms of being extremely impressive. Prior to the start of the Parade, the audience was reminded that first and always foremost we are all riflemen and that some members of the barracks would be shipping out to Iraq or Afghanistan in the near future.

Probably the two most moving and impressive acts of the evening took place before the parade:
A Gunnery Sergeant was helping outside with managing the crowd. Several of us talked with him and when we found out that he had worked in Graves Registration, we pointed out Ed Blecksmith who was just ahead of us and we talked of his loss. This Gunny then went to Ed to express his condolences and passed to Ed a remembrance medallion.
While we were in line waiting to go to the bleachers inside 8th and I, Lt. General Satler was returning home. He stopped to greet and welcome those of us in line. When he saw Ed Blecksmith, he recognized him and spent several minutes talking with him about JP and asking Ed about the family. For those of us who heard the exchange, this demonstrated the promise to every Marine—you will not be left behind and you will be remembered.

Saturday’s business meeting focused on several topics.
1. The group responsible for planning and executing this Reunion were recognized and thanked and it was decided that we will meet again. Most people were in favor of meeting next time on the West Coast-probably San Diego. While timing is yet to be determined, the general consensus is in about 2 years. We are a non-profit and have about $5800 remaining in our treasury a portion of which will be used for handling expenses for our next Reunion.
2. There was a discussion about health issues-ie. Cancer and Diabetes- which may be related to exposure to Agent Orange. Both Joe Adcock and Tracy Alton, who spent their careers working for the Veterans Administration (VA), are available for advice as to working within the system for help. Harvey Wysong reported on treatment studies that have been done. Joe, Tracy and Harvey are available for questions, assistance and recommendations via e Mail.
3. We had a presentation about the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund which was started in 1962 with the objective of providing college scholarships to the children of Marines—see the handout. We did have a discussion about funding a scholarship specifically for the children of Captain Christopher Gannon. The general consensus is that there should be further development of this consideration with more information to be provided via the website.

My overall observation of the Reunion is that it was well planned and executed and that the values we embraced over 40 years ago live on not only with the training of new Marines, but with all of us for whom those years have meant so much. The themes in life of honor, courage, integrity and trust which we embraced continue to be the hallmarks of today’s Marines.

Semper Fidelis!

William M. Anderson
USMC

Reunion Update #14

Bulletin No. 14 – June 2007
Colonel Tom McAninch (G-3)

I know it has only been a day or so since the reunion, but I want to add a postscript. I am not an eloquent writer and I need to do this while I am still on the emotional high from the reunion.

I want to thank each of you for attending and helping to renew my valued memories and to ---------. I wanted to say something like "renew old friendships", that seems grossly inadequate. We were much more than friends.
I don't know of any words to describe our relationship except to simply say 'we were fellow Marines".

The transition from college boys to responsible adults is a defining time for everyone. However, our transition was marked by events different from almost everyone else. In just a few months, we went from college boys to making life and death decisions, not only for ourselves but for others. I will never forget the words of my first company commander in RVN when he assigned me as commander of 1st Platoon, Company M, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. He said "These 40 Marines are yours. Do the job you have to do, but take care of them and keep as many alive as you can". I think it was at that point that I really understood that in a matter of hours, I would be making decisions and giving orders that, even if they were the correct decisions and correct orders, would undoubtedly result in the death of some of my Marines. That is an awesome responsibility. There is nothing like it in the civilian world. But we made those decisions and gave those orders without hesitation and without any second guessing of ourselves. If we had any fears, it was not the fear of death, but it was a fear that we would not measure up and that we would fail the Marines that we were leading.

I am reminded of words from an article from a 1984 magazine that I have kept for these last 23 years. It was written by William Broyles, a Viet Nam veteran and a Marine lieutenant, entitled "Why men Love War". He wrote "The enduring emotion of war, when everything else has faded, is comradeship. A comrade in war is a man you can trust with anything, because you trust him with your life. It is unlike marriage, a bond that cannot be broken by a word, by boredom or divorce, or anything other than death."

When I was a young, hard Marine, and full of piss and vinegar, I used to scoff at teary-eyed veteran at reunions and memorial services. That was the naivety and ignorance of youth and inexperience. I have since learned that as one grows older and more experienced, he begins to better understand the value of life. A few of our comrades on the Wall may have experienced the birth of their children, but they will never experience their graduation from high school or college, they will never walk their daughters down the aisle, they will never see their grandchildren born, and they will never see their grandchildren play baseball or dance in performances. Only now can we begin to realize the magnitude of their sacrifice. I no longer am embarassed or self-conscious about my tears. In fact, the opposite is true. I now shed them with pride, for I am very proud to have had the honor and privileged to have known and served with such incomparable men.

I would like to extend the same admiration to each of you. It is an honor for me to know and to have served with each of you. You are an inseparable part of my life and my memories forever.

Semper Fi

Tom McAninch

Reunion Update #13

“Always Faithful…Forever Connected”
Homily by Larry Van Spriell (H-4)

Consider for a moment that everything that really matters in life has to do with relationships. Everything that matters is about the connection we have with others who impact our lives. For a few moments this morning may we reflect together on this connected-ness we have with one another, including, of course, our relationship to our fallen brothers and sons.

It is a special bond that we share. It is a spiritual connection…I don’t know any other way to say it. 40 years have passed. Where has that time gone? In some ways it may seem like a long time ago. Yet yesterday’s experiences in re-visiting some of the places of our earlier days of training …and the flood of memories that have surfaced these last two days have made that 40 years seem like last week…or even yesterday.

One of the things I’ve learned through these years is that our emotionality and our spirit don’t abide by timelines. Our bodies age…our spirits do not. There is no chronology when it comes to our emotional and spiritual selves. In other words, the joys and hurts of a lifetime are stored in our spirit ready for recall and even re-living at any given moment.

When Mike West called me “out of the blue” last October, and said to me “Are you the Larry VanSpriell who was in The Basic School in 1967?” I was almost immediately transported back to Quantico and back to our war. And I have to tell you that from that October 2006 phone call to today, my spirit and emotions have been experiencing an amazing healing and reconciling process. Mike couldn’t have known that his call was, in a very real sense, a rescue of a wounded Marine.

While we are here to remember and honor our fallen brothers and sons…may we also acknowledge and honor our wounded brothers…wounds of the flesh, wounds of the mind and wounds of the spirit.

II

Our motives, no doubt, were as varied as where we came from. We came from small towns, from urban areas, from diverse settings and a multitude of life experiences. We came from farms and offices, from factories and college campuses. There was a sense of naiveté and innocence, as well as some mis-placed bravado from time to time. We were different and we were the same...yet there was a core, a common thread that kept us going and held us together: honor, fear and service…not necessarily in that order. And one other thing for a Marine…personal failure was not an option.

We don’t know who wrote the following reflection called “The Experience of War,” but we do know the truth of it:

“I now know why men who have been to war yearn to reunite. Not so much to tell stories or look at old pictures. Not so much to laugh or weep. Comrades gather because they long to be with the men who once acted their very best; men who suffered and sacrificed together. I did not pick these men. They were delivered by fate. But I know them in a way I know no other men.

I have never given anyone such trust. They were willing to guard something more precious than my life. They would have carried my reputation, the memory of me. It was part of the bargain we all made, the reason we were so willing to die for one another. As long as I have memory, I will think of them all, everyday. And when my time on earth is ending I’ll think of my family…and my comrades.”

My brothers and friends, we are connected. It is a spiritual thing. We are connected in a sacred trust. In the movie, “Flags of our Fathers,” this truth is stated about the Marine spirit, Esprit d’Corps: “We fight for our country; we die for our buddies…the guy on our left and the one on our right.”

III

(I want to thank Marty for sending me this next story I want to share with you…it is a story about connected-ness…in this case a father-son connection…).

At the conclusion of our Service of Remembrance we will hear that haunting and moving song of TAPS played….

This is the story behind TAPS. Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison’s Landing
in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention.

Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. IT WAS HIS OWN SON. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.

The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral. The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him just one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes and lyrics he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of his son’s uniform. This wish was granted. And the haunting melody, we know as “Taps” was born…

IV

While the clock and the calendar don’t stop or even pause….we know the calculation says that 40 years have passed. The passage of time does not heal us from our losses and our wounds….that is a myth. It is what we do in our time that heals brokenness and reconciles hurt and enables us to go on with our lives, experiencing joy and purpose once again. That, for me, is the most important rationale for this reunion and reunions to come.
o We have lost Marine brothers and sons.
o We all know about woundedness.
o We are also spirit that will not perish.
o We have this need to re-connect; we have this need to remember; and we have this need to cherish sacred moments….

We are connected. We are forever connected. Semper Fidelis, my dear brothers, Semper Fidelis…. Amen.

Reunion Update #12

THE BOYS OF QUANTICO © 2007
John Augustine (H-1)

Reunion Update #11

Bulletin No. 11 – May 2007

Final Report and Instructions

Our April 23 (deadline) has passed and we are pleased to report that 133 classmates and wives/guests have registered for the 40th Anniversary Reunion for BC 4-67.

The FINAL schedule of events and times is included in bulletin # 10. We will utilize 3 buses for transportation. Bus assignments will be available upon check in. The bus number will be on your name tag. All participants are advised to carry photo ID’s at all times to satisfy security requirements.

Upon check in at the Reunion registration desk in the hotel, you’ll receive, name tag (with bus number noted), schedule with times, list of attendees, shirt (if ordered before April 23rd) booklets with profiles and remembrances.

Dress is generally business casual;
• For the Quantico visit, those who have purchased a polo style shirt, we request that you wear this blue shirt and appropriate casual slacks (i.e. khakis or other similar seasonal),
• For the Memorial service, please dress appropriately for the service. Some members will wear sports jackets (ties are optional) while the wreath laying team will wear sports jackets and ties, and
• For 8th and I, we suggest dressing in a casual manner befitting officers of the Marine Corps and the Washington, DC weather.
Any reservations received after April 23rd will be handled on a space available basis and should be confirmed with Ed Smith (efsmith45@comcast.net) or Marty Hime (martinhime@hotmail.com). We no longer can accommodate all requests and are sorry for any inconvenience. The demand for the reunion has been overwhelming and encourages us for future events.

Any questions, please feel free to contact any of the committee members: Ed Blecksmith, Tom Butler, Jim Crawford, John Easton, Kent Fellows, Marty Hime, Dick Hudak, Tom McAninch, Mike Neil, Ed Smith, Frank Sturgeon, Harvey Wysong, Larry VanSpriell and Mike West.

Semper Fidelis
BC 4-67 Reunion Committee

REUNION UPDATE #10

BC 4-67 REUNION SCHEDULE

**PLEASE ENSURE YOU CARRY PHOTO ID AT ALL TIMES**

16 May - Sheraton Suites

17 May - Quantico Trip

18 May – Activities

19 May – Business Meeting and Check out

**PLEASE ENSURE YOU CARRY PHOTO ID AT ALL TIMES**

REUNION UPDATE #9

Have you reserved space for the Reunion of BC 4-67 commencing May 16th 2007?

Time is Running Out

Urgent Message from Reunion Committee:

We’re pleased to announce that all plans for the 40th Anniversary Reunion of BC 4-67 to commemorate our graduation from TBS Forty years ago in May 1967 are complete. Eighty-three classmates accompanied by 42 spouses have registered thus far.

Final registration is open and requires your attention. All recipients of this email have provided a $50 deposit to reserve your space.

We’ll need final registration and payment to meet our commitments to the Hotel, National Museum of the Marine Corps and Transportation Company.

The Full Cost per attendee is $180 (if appropriate, please deduct you $50 deposit).

We are also planning to have available a commemorative shirt with USMC emblem and reunion lettering at a cost of $35 each. An order form is also included in the attachment. This requires a 40 to 45 day order period in order to have available at the reunion site.

There is a fee calculator in the attached file to assist. Any questions please call Marty Hime or me.

Registration and Final Payment Due

We now ask that you complete the attached Final Registration including final payment and Profile. You should print the registration, complete and forward the registration with you final payment to Marty Hime (address included in the attachment and below).

This should be received by Marty no later than Monday 23 April in order to meet the Hotel and Bus company requirements to confirm our final numbers and make final payments.

Profile

Please complete the profile that accompanies the Registration if you’d like to be included in a booklet to be handed out at the reunion for all attendees. Please provide only that information you are comfortable in providing. The Profile should be sent to Ed Smith at his home in Westfield, New Jersey or via email.

The Registration and Profile is also available on this website here, for others wishing to join the reunion. Please keep in mind we have only 135 tickets to 8th and I.
(Registration form is in PDF format - if you need Adobe Acrobat reader, click here.)

Any problems in printing or accessing, please contact me…

For your information the Reunion Committee comprises:

Assistance has also been provided by Jim Singer (G-4) and John Theisen (G-4).

REUNION UPDATE #8
February 2007

BC 4-67 REUNION UPDATE # 8…
RE-Group;RE-Live;RE-Bond
Over 60 Reservations Made

The Reunion details are now complete. The HQ’s location will be the Sheraton Suites Hotel in (Old Town) Alexandria, Virginia. Details as follows:

For best results, call Joji at the Sheraton. When calling, be sure to identify yourself as being with Marine Officer Basic Class 4-67 and the dates of the reunion. You may also call Sheraton’s 1-800 reservation line or the Sheraton Suites Hotel direct at the 703 number; ask for Joji Gamble ext. 6106.

We also have a reunion reservation form posted. This should be used for reunion fee and a voluntary donation to cover organization of a BC 4-67 Association.

REUNION UPDATE #7
November 2006

REUNION UPDATE #7…
Reservations Now Open

The Reunion details are nearly complete. The HQ’s location will be the Sheraton Suites Hotel in (Old Town) Alexandria, Virginia. The following are the latest details:

Dates: 16-19 May 2007 (Wednesday to Saturday – 3 nights)
Hotel: Sheraton Suites Hotel
Reservations: 1-800-325-3535 (Sheraton) or 1-703-836-4700 X 6106 (Joji Gamble, Alexandria)
Room rates: $169/night
Events being planned:
16 May - Check in and opening reception
17 May - Visit Quantico (OCS, TBS and new National Museum of the Marine Corps)
18 May – Morning Memorial Service at the Viet Nam Memorial, Washington, DC
---------- Afternoon – Free
---------- Evening Parade at 8th and I
19 May– Debriefing meeting w/continental breakfast and check out

Sheraton reservations are now open. Please call Sheraton direct to reserve a room at the above rate. When calling, please identify yourself as being with Marine Office Basic Class 4-67 and the dates of the reunion. You may call Sheraton’s 1 800 reservation line or the Sheraton Suites Hotel direct at the 703 number, ask for Joji Gamble ext. 6106.

We also have a reunion reservation form posted. This should be used for reunion fee and a voluntary donation to cover organization of a BC 4-67 Association.

Semper Fidelis,
Ed Smith, BC 4-67 G-4
efsmith45@comcast.net

REUNION UPDATE #6
August 2006

Fellow Marine Officers...

On Thursday, September 7, 2006, a conference call was held with the following BC 4-67 classmates: Ed Blecksmith (H-1), Kent Fellows (I-2), Bill Henry (G-2), Marty Hime (G-2), Tom McAninch (G-3), Frank Sturgeon (H-4), Mike West (H-4), Harvey Wysong (H-4), and Ed Smith (G-4).
Regrets: Dave Blizzard (I-1), Jim Coan (H-1), Jim Crawford (I-1), John Easton (I-2), Bill Eaton (I-2), George Firehammer (G-2), Lee Gound (G-2), Keith Gregory (I-1), Dick Hudak (G-2), Bill Morey (G-3), Mike Neil (G-3), Andy Reistetter (I-4), Warren Robeson (H-4), Bill Sparkman (I-4), Norm West (I-4).

Summary

• Re-confirmed the following dates:
  • First choice: May 16-19
  • Second or Alternate choice: May 30 – June 2
  • [Note Washington area colleges with commencements: Georgetown, Friday May 18th; George Washington, Sunday May 20th.]
• Confirmed DC area as prime location, looking at Old Town Alexandria.
• Confirmed plan to incorporate as a non-profit alumni association.
• Confirmed criteria for choosing a hotel: cost (agreed working price range of $110-$130+); room availability on the first or second date choices; food and beverage availability; hospitality suite; and location (Note: Is this a realistic objective given the DC area?)
• Mike West to continue contact with the Army/Navy Club for possible reception; however the location may not be convenient.
• Continue efforts to identify “8th and I” contacts in order to obtain early scheduling. Public reservations open up on January 2007.
• Ed Blecksmith identified the incoming CO of TBS and there is the possibility of making contact at the appropriate time.
• Agreed to hold another call in October.

REUNION UPDATE #5
August 2006

Fellow Marine Officers...

I would like to update you on the August 17th conference call, attended by eight of our classmates. The purpose of the conference call was to discuss the upcoming reunion, specifically the opinions provided by classmates who completed and returned the “next steps” questionnaire emailed on Friday, July 28th. Participants: Ed Blecksmith (H-1), Jim Crawford (I-1), Kent Fellows (I-2), Marty Hime (G-2), Dick Hudak (G-2), Bill Sparkman (I-4), Mike West (H-4), and Ed Smith (G-4)

Based on the call and discussion of questionnaire responses, we agreed the following:

1. 2007 Date(s) chosen for the 40th reunion:
First Choice: May 16, 17, 18, 19
Second Choice: May 30, 31, June 1, 2

2. Duration of the reunion – three nights (W, Th, F), with a possible option (to be negotiated with the hotel chosen) to stay a fourth night through the weekend.

3. Hotel rate. The majority had no issue with hotel rate. After discussing, it was agreed to look into hotels outside the District, most likely Alexandria, Arlington, and Crystal City . A $150 per night range was agreed as a target.

4. Reserve 8th & “I” for Friday evening parade. Normal procedure is to accept reservations after January 1, 2007. Discussion included whether anyone had “contacts” to make a reservation prior to January 1, 2007. Jim Crawford volunteered to be liaison. Others suggested the following manes a possible ‘point man’ Mike Neal, Lt. General Buck Bedard, or a Senator or Congressman.

5. A suggestion was made for dinner at the Navy Club prior to 8th & “I” on Friday. Volunteer needed to look into this.

6. Volunteers for each Company and Platoon are needed to research names and addresses of company and platoon classmates. This was agreed as a best practice in order to secure max participation. So far, we have:

7. Volunteers are also needed for the following tasks:
Hotel: Dick Hudak; Ed Smith
Quantico Liaison
Promotional
Memorial Service (at Viet Nam Wall, or other locale): Jim Crawford volunteered; others needed
Meals & dining events:
Guests (identify & invite):
Transportation to and from Quantico and 8th & “I”
- It was noted that Quantico will provide transportation for those staying in Quantico .
Memorabilia
Association organization (legal and financial / bank account)
- Richard Williams, Ray Fraley and John Esslinger were suggested as possible resources for
legal issues. Bill Sparkman and Ed Smith following up.
Printing (programs, name tags, etc.)
Spouse program

Additional Advertising / Publicity:
- The Aviation Association will advertise in their quarterly
- The Marine Memorial Association will also publish

Complete Daily Itinerary/program (i.e. lunches, dinners, formal dinners, guest speakers, memorabilia, etc.)
Some respondents suggested approaching Generals Pace, Hagee or Conway as guest speakers.

Costs / Funding. Nearly all respondents agreed some advance funding was necessary. Some agreed to the need for collecting monies from classmates, methods favored included dues or contributions.

A suggestion was also made for a one-time, non-refundable contribution to be used as ‘seed money’, perhaps $50, to defray the start-up costs: incorporation of a non-profit corporation, guarantee for hotel, transportation arrangements, etc.

Please provide additional input to efsmith45@comcast.net or by reply to webmaster as part of this bulletin.

REUNION UPDATE #4
July 2006

Fellow Marine Officers...

Thanks to the efforts of Norm West, India Company, 4th Platoon, we have obtained the graduation program for the 4th Basic Class of 1967, 24 May 1967; and the 16 December 1966 graduation of the 42nd OCC.

MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA

Marine Corps Schools

BC 4-67 (24 May 1967)

Company Commanders of The Fourth Basic Class of 1967

Class Member Data

42nd OCC (16 December 1966)

As many of us (456 of the 560 graduates) came from OCS we are pleased to share the following list of honor graduates of the 42nd Officer Candidate Class.

REUNION UPDATE #3
May 2006

Fellow Marine Officers...

We are pleased to announce that our BC 4-67 Reunion website is now active. Please access, register and review the content. Your comments will be helpful in improving our communications.

Address: www.usmc-thebasicschool-april1967.com
Click on: “Alumni Registration”
Complete: Registration form and click submit

Registration is necessary to obtain a user name and password. We have chosen, at this time, to utilize a security feature. Using the information you submit, we cross-check to the TBS rosters on file, validate, and provide access.

Hopefully you do not find this inconvenient and realize in a period of security concern, desire to limit spam and access to one’s ID; this is in our best interest.

If you wish to contact the webmaster, please use:
webmaster@usmc-thebasicschool-april1967.com

In the spirit of the upcoming Memorial Day, let’s pause and reflect on all our brothers in arms, and in particular, our fallen classmates.

Semper Fidelis

Ed Smith
Maj. USMCR (ret 1986)
MOS - 2502
BC 4-67 G-4
efsmith45@comcast.net

REUNION UPDATE #2
May 2006

Fellow Marine Officers ….

Plans for the 40th Anniversary reunion continue to progress. We have received very favorable reaction in support of the reunion.

Rosters for the three companies in our Basic Class have been obtained, and 70 members of the class have been located: Golf – 26, Hotel – 13, and India - 31. Outreach to our fellow classmates continues, via telephone, email, US Mail and your personal efforts.

During May 2006 a planning committee will meet via conference call to discuss actual plans and conduct of the reunion. If you would like to volunteer, please let us know what you are interested in doing.

We are in the process of creating a non-profit alumni association that will enable us to operate on a more formal basis. This association will be called The Basic Officers Class 4-67 Association.

At this time we have a website under construction: www.usmc-thebasicschool-april1967.com, which we will activate shortly. This website will ask Alumni of BC 4-67 to login in order to access all the available information, which will include locator information, such as email addresses.

Semper Fidelis

Ed Smith
Maj. USMCR (ret 1986)
MOS - 2502
BC 4-67 G-4
efsmith45@comcast.net

REUNION UPDATE #1
January 2006

Fellow Marine Officers ….

Here is a proposed logo for the 40th Anniversary reunion of our Basic School class in May 2007. We have received many favorable reactions.

Attached are the rosters from Golf and India companies, prepared from mess night material. I’m still looking for Hotel Company’s roster.

I continue to reach out to fellow classmates, via telephone, email and US Mail. The email addresses provided or located are treated with respect, realizing we are in an age where everyone is concerned about privacy.

I have over 60 addressees (also attached) who have received this information their reaction and suggestions. You may receive a second copy, as email addresses are edited and corrected.

We will organize a planning committee to help with vital tasks and decisions. Holding a reunion in 2007 gives us ample time to plan and execute. Success is, however, dependent upon participation. Volunteers would be appreciated, if you are inclined.

• As a Partner in a Big 4 CPA firm, I will be pleased to serve as treasurer and web-site developer and at present, miner and locator of fellow officers. I would like to identify someone for each company to better distribute the work and if we were able, someone for each platoon (that may be more than we could expect). If there are any bankers who would like to serve a treasurer, I won’t be offended to let you take this on.

• We should form a non-profit alumni association, e.g. USMC BC 4-67 Association, or a derivative thereof. If anyone is a lawyer or knows a classmate who is a lawyer and willing to help with this, please let me know.

• Volunteers for various other tasks such as hotel, transportation, events coordination (possibly one for each event), memorabilia and mementos, distinguished guests, a Master of Ceremonies, photographer, historian and record keeper, chaplain, any others you might think of, or feel qualified to fill are welcome.

There are a few follow-up items for everyone to consider:

Location and hotel: Most likely in DC, many votes for Alexandria, this also affords spouses or significant others with a pleasant venue.

Length of reunion: Suggest 3 or 4 days

Possible program highlights:
• first night - arrival reception, no host bar;
• second day and night – visit Quantico, TBS, Heritage Museum, shopping (as time permits), dinner at Basic School and mixer with TBS classes;
• third day - mainly DC, memorial service at Viet Nam Memorial, (need someone to help with identifying deceased classmates), other free time in Nation’s capital;
• third night - reception and possible visit to 8th and I or another evening celebration, dinner (TBD) [need help in getting date(s) for this and group access to 8th and I.
• fourth day - most likely departure date and free time

Above are some early thoughts, but enough to give each of you a feel for some progress. I very much appreciate everyone’s positive feedback and look forward to you passing the word to others.

We will periodically send out the “Reunion Update…” via email and US mail, to notify you of our progress.

Semper Fidelis

Ed Smith
Maj. USMCR (ret 1986)
MOS - 2502
BC 4-67 G-4
efsmith45@comcast.net