WOOF-O-GRAM Kennel E-Mail: It’S an HONOR to Be a DEVIL DOG!
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Military Order of the Devil Dogs, Inc. – Kennel Kennel Web Site: moddkennel.org WOOF-O-GRAM Kennel e-mail: It’s an HONOR to be a DEVIL DOG! [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________ PDD Phil Ruhmshottel rd rd Volume 16, Issue 3 53 Chief Devil Dog FIRESIDE THOUGHTS FROM THE 53 CHIEF Winter, 2009 There is nothing like the aroma of a big dog resting too close to the fire. It feels great too. Recently, I was relaxing in front of the fire while reading my department’s newsletter when I realized that since I joined the Marine Corps League in 1992 my department has grown by eight detachments and another was revived after many years of just sitting on the books. We have almost doubled the size of the department in the past 17 years. For a department as small as mine this is quite an accomplishment. Most of the new detachments and many of the older ones are very active and participate in a large number of MCL and community activities. Due Date for Spring Issue As Paul Harvey would say, “AND NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY”. During the WOOF-O-GRAM same time period while my pack has formed two new pounds we have had two pounds turn in their charter and several others are struggling to find able and willing 15 March 2010 members to fill out their slate of officers. Getting installation and other reports from INSIDE THIS ISSUE: some pounds can be worse than pulling teeth. I have seen strong active pounds lose members to the point where they barely have a quorum and go through the motions Sr. Vice/ Jr. Vice 2 of having a growl, if they even hold growls. DOG’S, this is an indication of a very real Smart Dog 3 problem that I feel is prevalent across the country in some packs and pounds. If we Exec Sec/Dog Robber 4 don’t stop this bleeding of membership and corresponding lack of leadership the Jr. Past Chief/Dog Trainer/ Military Order of the Devil Dogs is in trouble. Mad Dog 5 Police/Barking Dog 6 I was initiated in the Military Order of the Devil Dogs in June 1993 when I attended Historian/Awards Chairman 7 my first department convention. I was not asked to join the Order; I asked about the Mideast/Midwest/RM 8 Order and was handed an application. The pack leadership had little knowledge New England 9 about who I was or if I had ever lifted a finger to help the growth of my detachment. NE/NW/SE 10 Since that time I have seen far too many mongrels asked to join the Order just SW 11 because they have a year in the League. They might have attended several Southern/Quartermaster 12 detachment meetings, maybe not. This is not the way we should increase our Merchandise 13-14 membership; no wonder so many drop out after a year or so. How many pounds Order Form 15 recommend a Pup to advance to Devil Dog just because they have a year in degree Kennel Officers 16 or even worse a Devil Dog to Pedigree? Membership and advancement in the MODD Pack & Pound News 17-21 are not a right; they are a privilege that must be earned. Dog Robber Reports 22-34 To continue growing, we must seek out the hard working Marines and Corpsman like the Marines who started this great organization of ours. We must grow strong leaders who are willing to say NO to an unqualified candidate. We cannot build on numbers alone, quality is far more important than quantity. Seek out the workers and bring them on board, mentor them, bring them to growls, get them involved in the pound and you will see more active dogs enjoying your growls. If you are planning to advance at the 2010 Supreme Growl it is never too early to Special Points of Interest: send in your advancement papers. There are no penalties if you change your mind *Sweepstakes and don’t report; however, if you don’t file before 1 July 2010 and show up asking to * Installation Reports advance you most likely will not be approved for advancement. * Passport Stamp Fees * Recruitment/Retention Are your Growls fun? Are you following the ritual? Are you holding social events? Are *Advancement Papers you supporting a children’s charity? Does your Pound help older members attend by *Mid-Winter Mini Growl CHIEF DEVIL DOG (continued) offering them rides? The Order used to be referred to as the “FROLIC SOCIETY OF THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE.” Do you need to bring some FROLIC to your growls? Do things that make growls fun so members look forward to attending. Hold some crazy contest; create an award ceremony when a PIA medal is presented. Relax, laugh and have some fun. Has your pound elected 2010 officers and filed an installation report? If you plan to attend the 2010 Mid-winter Conference in Falls Church you will notice some changes. The Kennel QM Stores and Dog House will be returning to the Jr. Ballroom on the lower level and the three hospitality rooms are going to be combined and held in the registration area off the main lobby. See you in Falls Church. WOOF WOOF, The 53rd STAMP THOSE PASSPORTS / MAIL PASSPORT FUNDS TO THE KDR SENIOR VICE CHIEF ------SR. Vice Chief Barks about------ Woof, Woof and our cold weather and snow have arrived here in Minnesota. I know many of you dogs living in those sunny warm winter states do not understand why some elect to live in this cold climate during the winter months. Hopefully someday I will be doing the same thing as you, enjoying your warm winter climates! I have a number that I think all us dogs need to think about. That number is 6000. That is the goal we need to achieve in membership to make the Chief happy. I know we dropped some members for lack of dues and that will happen. Those dogs may, and most likely will, come back to the Kennel. I just received an updated roster from our fearless dog robber, and it is showing a total of 5590 members. That leaves 410 immediate openings and opportunities for Marines to become new members of the MODD. Kennel-wide, that is only a 7% increase or only 41 new dogs from each Division. If we all work at bringing in some quality members to our Kennel, dogs that are looking for a good time and want to be part of the action, that is what we are about. Additionally, I notice that a lot of the members have not paid their 2010 dues yet, we need to get all our dog robbers motivated to get those dues sent into Kennel. Retention is very important to us and doing activities, along with having fun is what builds retention. I know it is difficult, with everything we have going on, to keep moving forward with all our programs, but that is why we do them. I look forward to seeing all of you that will be attending the Midwinter Growl. I invite all to come to see what happens at the Midwinter. I think you would find it to be a lot of fun and an opportunity to meet dogs from all over. I am really enjoying the friendships and the dogs that I have met throughout the Kennel. We share much in common, eat out of the same chow bowl, and even suck up some of the wet refreshments together that we find lingering around. Woof, Woof and Semper Fi,,,,PDD Mike English, Sr. Vice Chief JUNIOR VICE CHIEF FROM THE JUNIOR VICE CHIEF DEVIL DOG’S WINTER DOG HOUSE Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all you wonderful Dogs in the Land of the Military Order of Devil Dogs. I know many of you have had to come in off the roof of your dog houses and are now inside. I hope you are toasty and warm. I know you have visions of treats and new chew toys dancing in your heads, but come back to Earth for a few moments as you read the latest Woof-O- Gram. I hope you are able to find and read an enlarged copy on the computer or a print out. Our Barking Dog, C.O. Smith, goes to much trouble to present us all with loads of info and entertainment. Now that it is time for snow to be blowing, we need to be thinking of the Mid-Winter Mini Growl in Virginia. This year we will have a new contest that everyone can get into. Covers, Hats, Lids, Toppers, you know that thing on top of your head. We seem to have been Page 2 missing the crazy covers we all used to wear. So…. we are going to have a contest. Wildest cover…most dog-like and just plain best cover ever! Use your imagination; use your buddies’ imagination, cheat and Google it; just wear your best idea of what will drive the Police Dog and his Deputies crazy! I would like for you to watch your mail box for your 2010 Sweepstakes entries for the Supreme Growl in August. You, too, could be lucky like the Florida Pack and be a first place winner, or, better yet, you could be a REALLY BIG WINNER and support your MODD in its endeavors on behalf of all Devil Dogs. HELP! HELP! Help the Devil Dogs out by remembering the MODD Company Support Program.