VOLUME 46 2016 NUMBER 1 NEW U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION COMMANDANT MAKES HISTORY PRESIDENT ADDRESSES ISSUES AS NEW YEAR BEGINS Galen Jackman developing a plan to immediately rectify (10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION [LI]) the membership operation problems. Here A hearty welcome to 2016 for our mem- is the corrective action plan: bers. I have a number of topics I would like A. We simplified the membership da- to discuss with you as we press forward into tabase that will streamline data entry. We this New Year. have scrubbed the membership database The first is membership management. I to insure it includes all the information we think everyone is generally aware that we currently have and that it accurately corre- have struggled in being responsive to pro- sponds with our financial records. vide prompt membership cards for both B. We approved the design of a new card new members and renewals. The facts lead- that is mapped to the simplified database. ing to this situation are as follows: For simplicity and cost, all member- A. The system we use to cre- ship cards will be the same except ate and maintain the member- for the information on the card. ship data base, produce the For example, lifetime member membership cards, prepare cards will be so annotated, renewal reminders, and to and annual cards will have U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SSGT VITO T. BRYANT, US ARMY; SOLDIER MAGAZINE mail the cards and renewal expiration dates. For the first time in its 200-plus-year history, the U.S. Military Academy at West reminders is complex, ana- C. We hired a card ven- Point has installed a woman officer as Commandant of Cadets. BG Diana Holland log, handmade, and extremely dor who will produce the new was pulled from duty as Assistant Division Commander of the 10th Mountain time-consuming. For exam- cards. Division, and was serving at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, at the time she received the ple, the database requires 57 D. We hired a new Executive assignment. Speaking as she assumed her new command she said, “I distinctly separate entries into an Excel Director who will be compen- remember challenging myself to work harder, to be as fast or as strong or as skilled spreadsheet for a single mem- sated for managing member- or as smart of many of you. It was a healthy competition that inspired me to be ber. Address changes, deaths ship operations. better every single day.” Climb to Glory, General Holland! and other changing information E. The card vendor will prepare have complicated the accuracy of the new cards for all annual members and we COOL COMPETITION database. The tools for the operation are expect to have those in the mail on or about antiquated given today’s technologies and April 1, 2016. All current annual members resources. and those who have applied will be sent B. The responsibility for this operation cards. Renewal notices for annual mem- among the National Officers lies with the bers will be sent in January, 2017. Executive Director and ultimately with me. F. The card vendor will prepare new The Executive Director has a demanding cards for all lifetime members and we ex- full-time career coupled with a challenging pect to have those in the mail on or about family situation. He became overwhelmed May 1, 2016. Forms for lifetime member in- with the antiquated membership operation formation updates will be sent on or about and has not been able to bring the opera- August 1, 2016. tion up to Association standards. My obser- G. We are revising the membership ap- vations are that the membership operation plication and renewal form so they will map is well beyond the ability of a volunteer per- to the simplified member database. son. Based on this situation, I have decided H. We reviewed and simplified what will to change Executive Directors and hire a re- be included in the membership packets placement. sent to our membership. I know that many members are under- I. We have begun to craft a contract PHOTO BY VAL RIOS standably angry with this unresponsive- Statement of Work for the collation and Youth participants in the annual Sierra Nevada Chapter Biathlon get ready to take ness. The National Officers met on March off. Please see more Chapter News starting on Page 9. 5, 2016, in Watertown, NY, with the aim of CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 PAGE 2 BLIZZARD 2016 NUMBER 1 RACE AND THE 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION IN WWII AND THE 1950S Editorial material and photographs should be clearly marked with the sender’s name and address. Doug W. Schmidt the US Armed Forces. Thereafter, black No photographs will be returned unless speciically requested. All materials should be sent to Felic - 10TH MTN DIV (LI) VET and white soldiers began receiving their ity Hallanan, Blizzard Editor, 95 Zahler Tract, Sandy Creek, NY 13145, or by email to blizzarded@ Today, the Army’s Equal Opportunity basic training together. The 10th Infan- gmail.com. Opinions expressed in this publication relect those of the magniicent soldiers of the (EO) program ensures the “…fair treat- try Division would train soldiers from the 10th and do not necessarily conform to accepted journalistic standards. Editor reserves the right to rewrite, renegotiate or refuse materials submitted for publication. Questions? Contact the editor at ment of all soldiers and their family mem- Midwest for the next six years until on 15 315.387.2929 or by email. Subscription rate for non-members: $20. per year. bers.” This has not always been the case June, 1954, the Division converted to a BOARD OF DIRECTORS within the United States military. Every- combat division. Again, black and white one is aware of the segregation within the soldiers trained together in preparation The National Board of Directors shall be composed of the following: Chairman of the Board, Na- tional President, National Senior Vice President, National Secretary, National Treasurer, all Chapter United States Armed Forces up through for rotating to West Germany as part of Presidents, the Blizzard Editor, the Executive Director, the President of the 10th Mountain Division WWII, but the 10th Mountain and Infan- Operation Gyroscope. Foundation, the President of the 10th Mountain Division Descendants, Inc., and two voting mem - try Division have kind of a special story The idea behind Operation Gyroscope bers-at-large who may be appointed at the option of the President. The number of directors may be when it comes to segregation within the was to regularly rotate entire divisions to increased or decreased in the manner set forth in the Certiicate of Incorporation. (Article IV, Section Army and America as a whole. overseas assignments. This was supposed 2, National Bylaws, National Association of the 10th Mountain Division, Inc.) Like all other US Army divisions dur- to increase the unit’s combat effective- The National Executive Committee shall consist of the President (Committee Chairman), Senior Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, the Blizzard Editor, the Executive Director and two members at ing WWII, the 10th Mountain Division ness, while providing stability for soldiers large, if needed, to be appointed by the President. The Executive Director shall assist the President was a segregated unit. Even if segregation and their families, and allowing for job in the administration of this committee. (Article VII, Section 1, National Bylaws, National Association had not been the standard at the time it security for the soldiers. Such a plan was of the 10th Mountain Division, Inc.) is likely that societal and economic is- desirable enough that many soldiers vol- NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE sues would have kept many black Soldiers unteered to take part in Operation Gyro- President 95 Zahler Tract John Duffy (86-HQ-2) from joining the Division. That is because scope. This included many black soldiers Galen Jackman (10th [LI]) Sandy Creek, NY 13145 Michael Plummer (10th [LI]) in the late 1930s and into the 1940s skiing who may have seen a rotation to Germa- 1330 S. Fair Street, Apt 702 OTHER NATIONAL Liaisons in America was an expensive recreational ny as an escape from the discrimination Arlington, VA 22202 OFFICERS 10th Mtn Div Descendants activity that was centered mainly in the they faced in everyday American life. The Senior V.P. Chairman of the Board Steve Coffey mountains of the Northeast United States German people, wishing to improve their Steve Coffey (Desc 87-F) Michael Plummer (10th [LI]) 1630 York Mills Lane and in a few select locations in the Rocky image in the international community 1630 York Mills Lane 121 Paddock Street Reston, VA 20194 Mountains. following WWII, made efforts to make ev- Reston, VA 20194 Watertown, NY 13601 Tenth Mtn Div Foundation These areas were remote and far from eryone feel welcome in their country. Vice President Tommy Thompson Chaplain the urban population centers where After spending thirty months in Ger- James Redmore (10th [LI]) Dr. Larry Fields (Desc 85-HQ) 133 South Van Gordon Street 25851 Crowner Rd 6300 Deane Hill Dr. Suite 200 black communities had developed fol- many the 10th Infantry Division was set Carthage, NY 13619 Knoxville, TN 37919 Lakewood, CO 80228 lowing the “Great Migration.” to return to the United States. Originally, Secretary Webmaster 10th Mtn Div Living History Many of the young men that initially as part of Operation Gyroscope, the Divi- Mark Forman (10th [LI]) Aldea (Dee) Clairemont- Group joined the Division had started skiing sion was supposed to return to Ft Riley, 925 S 17th St LaParr (HON) David Little at a young age on family vacations and KS. However, the Army’s plans for the Leavenworth, KS 66048 150-B Whitley Church Rd 1198 Thornbury Place continued skiing while at college.