A Publication of the Marine Corps League Swansboro Detachment #1407 Commandant’s Corner Volume 4, No 1. It has been a very eventful Winter Quarter for the Marine Corps League Swansboro Detachment #1407. We hope that everyone had Winter Quarter a joyous holiday season and a great start to a new year. 1 Dec 2016 — 28 Feb 2017 Members from the detachment were busy collecting toys for the Toys for Tots Program and helped support the Gunny Claus program. Our own Sergeant At Arms Steve Tracy is one of those Editor Marine that are part of the Gunny Claus program. Members of the Tim Manchester Marine Corps League Swansboro Detachment #1407 and their SgtMaj USMC (RET) family members attended the Swansboro Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee Annual Veteran’s Holiday Dinner at the Hampton Inn, Swansboro, NC. League Officers The Detachment purchased ten wreaths in support of The Wreaths Commandant Tim Manchester Across American program and helped place them at a ceremony held at the Coastal Carolina Veterans Cemetery. Senior Vice Luis Alers Junior Vice Ray Smith We participated in the 2016 Veterans Stand Down to assist home- less and indigent Veterans and were presented a Certificate of Judge Advocate Bill Ayers Appreciation. We also supported the Non Commissioned Officers Adjutant Tim Manchester Association Down East Chapter 906, SgtMaj “Mack” McKinney Awards and will attend their ceremony in March 2017. Paymaster /Past Commandant Alex “Gunner” Nevgloski Sr. Chaplain Don Broussard Sergeant At Arms Steve Tracy There are more events planned, so please visit our website at: Historian Katie Solano http://swansboromarinecorpsleague.webs.com. Webmaster/Editor Tim Manchester You can also visit our Facebook page, or email us at: [email protected] for more details. MAILING ADDRESS: Marine Corps League Swansboro Detachment #1407 Semper Fidelis P.O. Box 83, Swansboro, NC Commandant Tim Manchester 28584-8572 EMAIL: [email protected] The Guidon A publication of the Swansboro Marine Corps League Detachment #1407 Senior Vice Volume 4, No 1. Page 2 Luis J. Alers Winter Quarter 1 Dec 2016 — 28 Feb 2017 The military exchanges have the green light to open their online doors to veterans by Nov. 11, an idea initially proposed by a top exchange official nearly three years ago. Defense Department officials notified the congressional oversight committees Jan. 11 of their intent to open up the military exchange online shopping benefit to all honorably discharged veterans. On Jan. 18, a memorandum went out with guidance for the military departments to implement the program by Nov. 11. Congress had 30 days from the notification to lodge any protests, but "to date, the department has not received any concerns from the committees," said Army Lt. Col. Myles Caggins, a DoD spokesman, on Wednesday. DoD will address any future congressional concerns, but "no further guidance to the military departments is necessary for them to begin preparation to implement this online exchange benefit," Caggins said. The new shopping privileges will apply only to online shopping, not to brick-and-mortar stores. Newly eligible veterans -- DoD estimates there are 15 million of them -- wouldn't be able to buy uniforms, alcohol or tobacco products. While plans call for a Veterans Day launch, officials can approve an earlier start date if they deem it appropriate, according to the Jan. 18 memo. Preparations include ordering and stocking the increased inventory, and other operational requirements. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES, and Navy Exchange Service Command, or NEXCOM, have online shopping websites, but authorized shoppers can buy from either site, regardless of branch of service. Defense officials approve expanded veterans online shopping benefit The Army's top enlisted soldier already has offered his support for the program. HOW IT WILL WORK As they do with other authorized customers, the exchanges will use data provided by the Defense Manpower Data Center to verify veteran eligibility for online shopping privileges. Veterans whose records are incomplete or don't appear in the Veterans Affairs Department database will need to register through VA, according to a letter to congressional committees with oversight over DoD and VA issues by Peter Levine, former acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. The exchange services will provide registration information on their online sites, and the AAFES call center will help veterans navigate the process. Veterans with honorable discharges will be authorized to shop online at any of the military exchange sites regardless of service branch, but they won't be able to receive a DoD identification card through the program, or gain access to DoD installations and other DoD property where exchanges are located. There are no plans to extend the benefit to these veterans' dependents because "it would be cost prohibitive to collect and track these individuals in the database used for verification of eligibility," Levine wrote in the letter. AAFES will invest about $1.8 million a year to cover costs associated with the expansion of their online platform, according to Levine's letter. If 0.3 percent of the newly eligible veteran group - or about 45,000 veterans - shop online, that cost is expected to be recouped. AAFES CEO Tom Shull formally proposed the idea of expanding the benefit to honorably discharged veterans to DoD on May 14, 2014, noting that it would provide a modest benefit to those who had served but left the military short of retirement. De- fense officials determined that it could be accomplished administratively, without a change in law. The Guidon A publication of the Swansboro Marine Corps League Detachment #1407 Junior Vice Volume 4, No 1. Ray Smith Page 3 Winter Quarter 1 Dec 2016 — 28 Feb 2017 Detachment #1407 A. Total Life Members 16 B. Total Paid Up Regular & Associate Members 38 C. Total Paid Up Members (A + B) 54 D. Total Unpaid Regular & Associate Members 0 E. Total Paid & Unpaid Members (C + D) 54 F. % Not in Good Standing (D / B) 0.00% Renewal Information for Current Members If you know anyone who is qualified to become a member of the Marine Corps League and wants to join, you can find a copy of the Membership Application on our website at: http:// swansboromarinecorpsleague.webs.com. You can also visit our Facebook page, or email us at: [email protected] for more details. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Ray Smith at e-mail address [email protected] The Guidon A publication of the Swansboro Marine Corps League Detachment #1407 Volume 4, No 1. Page 4 Winter Quarter 1 Dec 2016 — 28 Feb 2017 Please check out the Marine Corps League Swansboro Detachment website at swansboromarinecorp- sleague.webs.com for the latest information and events. Membership Applications can be found at our website. Membership Application can be mailed to Marine Corps League Swansboro Detach- ment #1407, P.O. Box 83, Swansboro, NC 28584-8572. Or you can contact Alex Nevgloski or Tim Manchester at [email protected]. Every member has the opportunity to compete for “Recruiter Of The Year”. Our goal is to increase membership by 10% each year. You can also check us out on Facebook. The Guidon A publication of the Swansboro Marine Corps League Detachment #1407 RECENT EVENTS December 2016 2 December, ten (10) members attend morning coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 6 December, MCL Swansboro Detachment #1407 holds their annual Awards Dinner. Past Commandant Alexander J. “Gunner” Nevgloski Sr. is awarded the Detachment “Marine of the Year” award for 2016. 7 December, members attended the Swansboro Chamber of Commerce Breakfast. Volume 4, No 1. 7 December, members attended the Pearl Harbor Remembrance at the American Legion Post 265, Jacksonville, NC. Page 5 7 December, members attended the Appreciation and Farewell Dinner for the Onslow County Director of Veteran Services, Mrs. Amelia Grissett at the Golden Corral in Jacksonville. Winter Quarter 8 December, members attended the Swansboro Military Affairs Committee 1 Dec 2016 — 28 Feb 2017 Annual Holiday Veteran's Dinner at the Hampton Inn, Swansboro, NC. 9 December, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 10 December, 0700 Retiree Breakfast, Camp Lejeune NC. 16 December, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 17 December, 1145 Wreaths Across American Ceremony at the Coastal Carolina Veterans Cemetery. 23 December, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 23 December, Tots for Tots pickup. 25 December, Merry Christmas. 30 December, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. January 2017 1 January, Happy New Year 2017. 3 January, 1830-2000 (6:30 pm - 8:00 pm) Monthly MCL Meeting. 6-7 January, Department of North Carolina MCL Winter Quarterly and MODD Growl 2017. 6 January, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 11 January, 0800 Swansboro Chamber of Commerce Breakfast. 13 January, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 16 January, Martin Luther King Birthday. 18 January, we laid George M. Barrows Sr to rest. 20 January, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 21 January, 0800 MODD Pound #370 Growl, Cox Family Restaurant, Morehead City, NC. 27 January, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 31 January, 1830-2000 (6:30 pm – 8:00 pm) Onslow County Council of Veteran Organizations (OCCOVO) meeting. February 2017 3 February, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 7 February, 1830-2000 (6:30 pm - 8:00 pm) Monthly MCL Meeting. 8 February, 0800 Swansboro Chamber of Commerce Breakfast. 10 February, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 17 February, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 20 February, Presidents Day. 24 February, 0900-1000 Morning Coffee at Dunkin Donuts. 25 February, 1800-2000 (6:00 pm-10:00 pm) Mardi Gras Bunco and Silent Auction, Russell Marine & Family Center, 40 Brewster Blvd, Camp Lejeune, NC 28547.