JANUARY 2016 VOL 61 Chapter 16 Newsleer Organizaon and Responsibilies: President’s Message Editor: Glen Craig Happy New Year to you all and many blessed returns in the upcoming Secons: year! In the spring of 2016 Chapter XVI will see a change in leadership, Message from the President: Dave Shell which I view posively and as a move in the right direcon. Both Kevin Pa on and I will be stepping down a er six years at the helm, but will s ll Treasurers Report: Kevin Paon be very involved with Chapter operaons and processes. This is the Sec. Rpt (Staff Meeng Minutes): Paul Bagshaw sustainable model we hoped to build from the start, which is to maintain a Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall corps of acvely involved former Chapter Officers who can provide Blast from the Past: Glen Craig experse, experience, and perspecve to new Chapter Officers lessening Special Recognion: Paul Bagshaw their burden and sharing their workload. During my tenure I have enjoyed Upcoming Events: Paul Bagshaw just this kind of support from former Chapter Presidents Bill Gates and Ron Calendar: Dave Shell Rismon. This was aer many years of Ron holding up the Chapter almost Human Interest Story: Chapter at large singlehandedly, and a near miss with regard to the collapse of the Chapter SFA Naonal HQ Update: Dave Shell as a whole due to lack of support. The first meeng I convened as President in June of 2010 there was a total of twelve in a endance, four of Aer Acon Report: Jim Lessler whom were wives. We badly needed depth, which I recognized as the key Membership Info: Roy Sayer to geng more members to volunteer for leadership roles. When I first Adversements: Glen Craig stepped up six years ago, Bill Gates told me that although the term was for Suspense: two years I was expected to serve four. This was a bit daunng and is a Newsleer published (Web): 1st of each major reason why most members don’t want to run for office. In fact, I was shanghaied by Bill who convinced me to run by telling me that Jim odd numbered month Lessler was actually slated to succeed him and they just wanted someone Input due to editor: 20th of each else’s name on the ballot to make it appear like more of a contest. Shortly even numbered month before the vote, Jim had a significant health issue and I was le holding the Dra due to President: 27th of each bag. No big deal, all things happen for good reason and here I am six years even numbered month later proud of what we have accomplished together, having had more than th Final Dra due 29 of each one Group Commander and General Officer tell me that Chapter XVI even numbered month funcons as the SFA should. The next Chapter President will inherit a top notch staff that includes the Chapter Newsleer editor Glen Craig, The Drop submission editor Bill Gates, Regimental Mess manager Kevin Paon, Chapter Distribuon and webpage manager Dave Shell, and other funconaries that are involved with things such as fundraising. I have always maintained that if we all do just a lile we will accomplish more, and avoid the piall of feeling trapped in a system that bleeds every person who raises his/her hand to point where they stop parcipang altogether as the only means of escape. I am confident that we are beyond this percepon and I look forward to many more years of service to the SF community through the SFA. We fill an important void within SF that only a non‐profit, led by exceponal members of the regiment, can properly impact. The elecon for Chapter XVI Officers will be held at the Chapter meeng in April. Please consider adding your name to the list of those who feel that connued service to the regiment and to those Soldiers who give and have given in the name of duty and honor is worthy of their me and talents. De Oppresso Liber, Dave Page 1 Pastor Butch’s Corner I am reminded of the story of a lady taking an aernoon nap before the fesvies. Aer she woke she confided to her husband, “Honey, I just dreamed that you gave me a Diamond Ring as a New Year’s present. What do you think it means?” “Aha, sweee, you’ll know tonight.” He answered, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. At midnight as the New Year came into being, the husband approached his wife and handed her a small package. Delighted and excited, she quickly opened it. There in her hands rested a book entled: The Meaning of Dreams. I cannot predict the future, but I can wish for us a very blessed 2016 and may SFA, Chapter XVI and our events of 2016 bring us GOD’s Peace, Love and Joy as we look forward to another year of serving with you all. Happy New Year and GOD’s unending blessings. Chapter 46 SF Company Associaon Wounded Warrior Cruise SFA Chapter 16 has sponsored our fourth consecuve Wounded Warrior this year it was Nathan Summers and his wife Honey on the Wounded Warrior Caribbean Cruise. Ed & Erma Booth and Jim & Elaine Lessler have aended four Wounded Warrior Cruises and have greatly enjoyed them. It was a terrific experience to go along on the cruises. Chapter 16 members Bart and Pay Heimsness and Wayne and Yoko Karvonen have also been on past Wounded Warrior Cruises. Dinosaurs Luncheon, October 30, 2015 The following members and guests were in aendance: Butch & Regina Hall, Ted Wicorek, Glen Craig & Pa Lakey, Jim & Elaine Lessler, Walt Hetzler, Wayne & Yoko Karvonen, Roland Nuqui, and Mike Cassidy. Veterans Day Parade Auburn, Washington 7 November 2015 The Veterans Day Parade was the largest in the State with over 200 entries marching in the Parade. Even the rain couldn’t keep the large crowds of spectators away. The motley Crew that Represented Chapter XVI at the Veterans Day Parade Page 2 Dinosaurs' Luncheon, Nov. 27, 2015 The following members and guests were in aendance: Ed & Erma Booth and Jim & Elaine Lessler J. K. Wright Memorial Breakfast, Dec. 5, 2015 The following members and guests were in aendance: Alvin Lile, Butch Hall, John & Jenny Gebbie, Ed & Erma Booth, Dennis Guiler, John Becker, Steve Durfe, David Hsu, Andy McCauley, Richard Klein, Ted Wicorek, Dan Burrsell, Rex Bruce, Dave Barnes, Monte Cooper, Nick Marvais (IMO Eulis Presley), Fred Callahan, Kurt Kagels, Ken Keesler, Ken Garcy, Johnny & Kim King, Wayne & Yoko Karvonen, Roland Nuqui, Walt & Lynda Hetzler, Glen Craig, and Pa Lakey. Chapter 43 members were in aendance: Mike Sherlock and Skip Enger. Negro Mountain JW Kent November 9 at 8:35am · If you drive west on Interstate 68 from Cumberland Maryland, you will cross over several tall, steep ridges. These ridges were formed by the Alleghenian Orogeny during the late Permian Period, when the African connent slammed into what is now North America. On the summit of one of these ridges there is a sign that has sparked a good deal of controversy. “Negro Mountain,” the sign reads. Not too long ago a white polician aempted to change the name of Negro Mountain because the name was “embarrassing and offensive.” He may well have succeeded if not for the efforts of a group of African American historians, who raised an outcry of “Don’t you dare!” Good for them. The mountain was named by Thomas Cresap, circa 1756. Cresap was an early seler, who built a fort, and trading post on what was then the western froner of Maryland. You probably won’t see his name in a school textbook, because someone famous didn’t write a silly poem about him. Cresap did a lot of trading with the Nave Americans that frequented the area, and they referred to his trading post as “The big spoon,” because he was famed for feeding any and all who came. He was even invited to the council fires of one tribe, an honor seldom bestowed. When the Seven Years War broke out, the French came up with a strategy to pull Brish resources away from the “real” fighng, by sending Indian mercenaries to aack the western selements. Before you go all polically correct on me, I must say that if a group has to travel for hundreds of miles to torture, murder, burn and butcher innocent civilians that are no threat to them, and do so under the payroll of another European power, they are not “defending their homeland,” they are simply acng as mercenaries. This war of terror did not have the desired effect, because the Brish sent precious lile help to the froner. Sure, they sent a few token Provincial troops, but for the most part, the selers were le to defend themselves. Thomas Cresap was given the rank of Colonel, and in 1756 raised a group of forty Rangers. The colonial Rangers were the elite of the milia. The best of the best. They did not fight “in line” like regular troops, they used guerrilla taccs, and were commonly deployed as scouts. Rangers, unlike regular troops, had to be able to think and act independently, so only the most intelligent and skilled of men were allowed to volunteer. One of Cresap’s forty Rangers was a freed African slave. Yes, one of the “best of the best” was black. This may sound surprising, but it shouldn’t. The early selers were a diverse bunch. Sure, many like Cresap, were English, but most of them were Germans, Dutch, Swiss, Welch, French Huguenots, Irish, and Scots.