“It Is Usually Futile to Try to Talk Facts and Analy- Sis to People Who Are
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Volume 8 “A Soldier Once And Always” November 2018 ommanders Corner: I was able to spend a DVA The Chapter Stuff: I just wanted to write a little arti- C few days at the Americal Division Veterans As- A cle to let our fellow 2/1 Chapter members know how lucky they sociation 2018 Reunion in Oklahoma City, Ok, 28-30 are to have members who step up every time the bell rings. Prime Sept 2018 and met some more of you at the reunion examples are Jesse and Eileen Mendoza; they have been both physi- and our annual meeting. I think Jesse Mendoza indi- cally and monetarily very instrumental in making this chapter what it cated that we had 21 members present for the meeting is. The sacrifices they make for the chapter are outstanding. They on Saturday after the ADVA Annual meeting earlier have not only kept all our money straight but, also, provided the ex- that morning. hausting service to stock and man our hospitality rooms at the last I hoped you enjoyed the banquet and Morton Dean’s presentation several ADVA national reunions. Jesse has developed a mini-PX for for the documentary on the Americal Dust Off incident and follow us with chapter hats, shirts, decals, etc. The quality is excellent, the -on with the pilots and grunts who were involved in that medevac prices extremely reasonable and the small profits go directly to the mission. chapter fund to help keep us afloat financially. They did a wonderful During the meeting members discussed the “2-1 Brick Program”; job at this year’s ADVA reunion and every one enjoyed the refresh- it basically is purchase of a brick honoring member who pass on ments, snacks and the effort put forth. I want to give my personal and is located at the Kokomo Indiana site. We asked that each thanks to the Jesse and Eileen (especially since they provided Bud- member donate during the year to the “Brick Program”. So, I am weiser). Another stalwart has been Rich Heroux; who since the incep- asking that during the year, or when you renew membership that tion of the chapter has provided us with the best quality chapter news- you send Jesse an additional check for the “Brick Program”, at letter in the ADVA. Rich works hard every month to put these news- least $5.00. If we all donate, we will have enough funds to finance letters together and they are all first rate. Thankfully, they are both in a brick on the passing of each member of the association and to fine shape now. One thing that would help him immensely is if you provide for a commemorative brick for 2nd Battalion 1st Infantry guys (and ladies) would submit some articles to him for the newslet- Regiment veterans that served. ter. You don’t have to worry that you may not be a great writer or A “WELCOME” to new member from the 2018 Reunion, Nor- spell or punctuate everything correctly; that can be taken care of. We man L. Linto of Oxford, Mi., he was in HHC 2-1 INF. There just need some input from out members. There are a lot of stories out may have been some additional new members at the Reun- there and they don’t have to be “war stories”. Whatever interests you ion and they will be honored next newsletter. I always hope may be of interest to our other members. We, as of the writing of this to meet some 2-1 Infantry members at these veterans’ gatherings, article, have 156 members and I’m sure their interests are as diversi- and I did as well this time. fied as possible. Get off your butts, and send some stuff to Rich. Also, God bless you and your families during the rest of this summer if you have any change in your address, phone or emails; get them to season and for any preparation you are involved in as grandchil- Rich or Jesse. Last but certainly not least, is our Idea Man, Julius dren head off to school for the 2018-2019 year. “Juju” Deriscavage. Juju has supported our chapter from the begin- ning both financially and with his timely bitching. Juju has served the Remember our collective extended family, those Americans serv- last couple of years as one of our two At-large chapter officers and his ing in our Armed Forces all over the world, and especially to the input has been invaluable; especially keeping me straight maintaining memories of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. our web site. That guy could find a flea on a gnat’s ass, if it was out Got a comment, idea or complaint, contact me at Com- of place. Thanks buddy. One last thing then I’ll shut up. We need [email protected]. more members to step up and help out by either running for an officer position or just helping out with chapter stuff in general. One thing we truly need is to take some of the day to day pressure off Jesse and John Eileen when we have our hospitality room open at the reunions. If Commander you are at a reunion, volunteer a little of your time to help monitor the room so Jesse and Eileen can have some time on their own. I don’t Keep safe and may the bond of battle never be broken! —————————————————————————————————————— think they have seen anything but their room, the hospitality room and the inside of a local restaurant the last few reunions. I hope you didn’t fall asleep half way through this but, this last paragraph as important “It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analy- as any of them. I know you learned not to volunteer in the Army but, this is different. If you haven’t caught up on your dues, please send sis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral them to Jesse. superiority in their ignorance.” Thanks, Chuck Holdaway Thomas Sowell, Social Theorist ——————————————–———————————————— Page 2 “A Soldier Once And Always” November 2018 freed from Gitmo in exchange for Bergdahl join Tali- rmy Expelled 500 Immigrant Recruits in 1 year: The ban’s political office in Qatar: Five members of A U.S. Army discharged more than 500 recruits who were re- 5 cruited across the globe for their language or medical skills and the Afghan Taliban who were freed from the U.S. military prison promised a fast track to citizenship in exchange for their service, The at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for captured American Army Sgt. decade-old Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest recruit- Bowe Bergdahl have joined the insurgent group’s political office ing program was put on hold in 2016 amid concerns that immigrant in Qatar, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said recently. recruits were not being screened sufficiently. The Army began boot- They will now be among Taliban representatives negotiating for ing out those enlistees last year without explanation. The recruits peace in Afghanistan, a sign some negotiators in Kabul say indi- from countries such as Brazil, Pakistan, Iran, China and Mongolia cates the Taliban’s desire for a peace pact. Others fear the five, all said they were devastated by their unexpected discharges or canceled of whom were close to the insurgent group's founder and hard-line contracts. Until now, it's been unclear how many were discharged leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, bring with them the same ultra- and for what reason because the Army has refused to discuss specific conservative interpretation of Islam that characterized the group's cases. But the Army's own list, submitted to the U.S. District Court five-year rule that ended in 2001 with the U.S.-led invasion. —————————————————————————–———————————————— for the District of Columbia last month, says 502 service members he 5,239 Troops Headed to the Border is Just the who enlisted under MAVNI were discharged between July 2017 and T Beginning: The number of troops who will deploy to the July 2018. The list, which was unsealed this week after a request U.S.-Mexico border will rise beyond the 5,239 personnel already from the AP, offers "refuse to enlist" as the reason for expelling two- on orders and expected to be in place within days, U.S. Northern thirds of the recruits. That is the reason given for 35 percent of Command chief Air Force Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy said enlistee discharges Army-wide, according to a research study posted recently. O’Shaughnessy did not have a cost estimate for the rap- on a Defense Department website. idly-growing — and without recent precedent — mission of dis- ——————————————————–———————————————— ffutt lab's ID Brings Two More WWII "Unknowns" patching thousands of active-duty forces to Texas, Arizona, New Home to Families: Fireman 2nd Class George C. Ford Mexico and California to counter a caravan of an estimated 3,500 O died at Pearl Harbor inside the pulverized battleship USS Oklahoma, migrants traveling from Central America. “There will be an addi- on America’s first day fighting World War II. Pfc. Fred Ashley died tional force, over and above the 5,239,” O’Shaughnessy said. “The in the last days of the war, murdered by German soldiers on patrol in magnitude of that difference, I don’t have an answer to right now.” Czechoslovakia. Both spent decades buried in the wrong place, far Even though smaller numbers of active-duty forces have supported from home, mourned by loved ones who could only guess at their drug interdiction efforts on the border, they have not been the go- fates.