MAIL CALL April 2010

Commandant Mike DeBauche Editor John Sims

April and May are shaping up to be busy months for our detachment. This month we have our annual elections. I encourage everyone to attend the meeting and cast your vote. Let’s work to continue to keep our leadership strong. As I requested last month, if you are interested in running for a position, please contact Jim O’Connor.

We have two parades in May. The first is the Spirit of Mission Days Parade on May 8th and the second is the Turkey Creek Parade on the 15th. Let’s put in a good showing to let these communities know who we are and that we care. Also remember that our public appearances are excellent recruiting tools. I am still working on increasing activity surrounding fund‐raising for our detachment.

As you know, our participation at the Kansas Speedway is less than in the past, resulting in fewer funds. If anyone would like to participate in the Fund‐raising Committee or has any ideas for fund‐raising, please let me know. I’m sure with all of our brilliant minds we can come up with something creative. I’ve already been given some excellent ideas to not only raise money for the detachment, but also for the Marine Corps League Foundation.

Keep up the good work Marines. I’m proud to say that I am associated with each and every one of you.

Semper Fi.

Mike DeBauche

Commandant

Mail Call! Gen. Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025

6521 Nieman Road, Shawnee, KS www. mklops.org

Commandants message

General Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025 Vol 9, No. 4 April 2010 pg 2

Volume 9 Issue 4 April, 2010

Sick and Distressed

Please convey info. on sick and distressed to Chaplain Reyes at 913/432‐3688.

I am happy to say that I did not have anyone to report on for this month! Two months in a row nothing to report

oohrah!!

New Century Young Marines DC trip is still planned for May 27- June 5 April 24th, we are having a Poker Run, I will forward the flyer for distribution, please distribute it all proceeds are to benefit our DC trip. We are now meeting every Wednesday from 6-8 at the Gardner American Legion.

Fallen Marines

There is no finer compliment than being called a Marine. It represents the highest honor & tradition bound together with courage & sacrifice on behalf of all mankind. Our Fallen Marine Honor Guard had the distinct honor of performing at the services of these marine who have answered the call.

Robert F. Brunsky April 15th

James Mendenhall April 15th

Vernon McQuerry April 19th

General Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025 Vol 9, No. 4. April 2010 pg 3

VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE

GEN. LARRY OPPENHEIMER

DETACHMENT # 1025

NOMINATION LIST

FOR THE APRIL 2010 ELECTION

COMMANDANT: Mike DeBauche SENIOR VICE: Jim Denton - Marcia Sands JUNIOR VICE: John Byrnes J.A.G.: Rick Hinrichs - Joe Hughes PAY./ADJ.: Steve Yoakum CHAPLIN: Gonzalo Reyes - Dave Woods SGT. AT ARMS: David Yurkovich Submitted by: Jim O’Connor, Chairman Nomination Committee

VAVS (VA Volunteer Service) Anyone interested in learning more about the VA volunteer service, please contact Mr. Art Peter at 816-331-4622. Mail Call Editor encourages submissions of any announcements, pictures, stories, to the editor from detachment members. Deadline for all submissions by the 15th of every month. Email: [email protected] or Call: John Sims @ 913.530.2535. Mail Address: 14004 west 72nd Terrace, Shawnee, KS 66216.

FESTIVALS IN MAY

Announcements


EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE! Hey detachment members this is our opportunity to show and strut our stuff! All of you are invited to march in these two community celebrations. Please contact Marine Thomas for more information.


Spirit of Mission Days features parade, carnival, jazz, community fair, and more. Opening at 5 pm, May 7 and runs through Sunday, May 10

The Spirit of Mission Days Parade is on May 8th

The City of Merriam will hold its Annual Turkey Creek Festival, Parade & 5K Fun Run on Sat. May 15, 2010.

To have items sewn on to your covers and shirts, contact Marsha Davey at 913/268-1017 (10409 W 53rd St. in Shawnee); to have alterations done on your dress blues, contact Louise Bland at 913/831-4647 (10149 Edelweiss Circle in Merriam – near 75th & Switzer). Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Raffle

1st prize - A trip for 2 to Hawaii, 2nd prize - 42" Hd Tv , 3rd prize - Blue Ray DVD Player $5 per ticket or a book of 5 for $20. Contact Bill Clinton at 913-484-3078 or [email protected]. Tickets for sale at the next meeting. Be sure and bring in your sold tickets.

Parades, Ceremonies, and our Color Guard


A volunteer is needed for the Community Activities position if you are interested, please contact Commandant Mike DeBauche.

Any member who can devote time to the Color Guard, please contact Steve at 913/764-3901, or at [email protected].

Marines in Need

Any member who is aware of a Marine or his family in need is asked to first submit a request in writing to Marine Pat O’Malley of our Financial Assistance Review Committee, including a statement of the purpose, a cost estimate and the time period. Pat’s email is [email protected]; his address is 12412 Flint, Overland Park, KS 66213-2120. There were no Marines in need this past month

Marine Corps History

This Month in History

Selected April Dates of Marine Corps Historical Significance

3 April 1945: On Okinawa, Marines of the III Amphibious Corps continued to make good progress all along their front, clearing Zampa Misaki and seizing the Katchin Peninsula, thus effectively cutting the island in two. By this date (D+2), III AC elements had reached objectives thought originally to require 11 days to take.

5 April 1947: Five Marine guards were killed and eight wounded when attacked by Communist Chinese raiders near the Hsin Ho ammunition depot in Northern China. This last major clash between Marines of the 1st Marine Division and Communist forces occurred shortly after withdrawal and redeployment plans from China were issued for the 1st Division and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing on 1 April.

10 April 1959: Lieutenant Colonel John H. Glenn, Jr. was named as one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts selected for space training. The seven astronauts, all volunteers, were selected by NASA from an initial group of 110 leading military test pilots. Three years later, on 20 February 1962, Col Glenn would become the first American to orbit the Earth.

12-13 April 1918: Marines of the 4th Brigade suffered their first gas attack on the night and early morning hours of 12-13 April when the Germans bombarded the 74th Company, 6th Marines near Verdun with mustard gas. Nine Marine officers and 305 enlisted Marines were gassed and evacuated, and 30 Marines died from the effects of the gas shells which hit in the middle of the reserve area cantonments in which they were sleeping.

15 April 1962: Marine Corps operational involvement in the Vietnam War began on Palm Sunday when HMM-362 with its Sikorsky UH-34s arrived at Soc Trang in the Delta south of Saigon. The task unit was called "Shufly" and its first operational employment involved lifting Vietnamese troops into battle.


18 April 1983: One Marine Security Guard was killed and seven were wounded when a large car bomb exploded just outside the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. Lance Corporal Robert McMaugh was standing guard at Post 1, just inside the front entrance when the bomb exploded outside the door. The explosion killed 61 people including 17 Americans. LCpl McMaugh was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 26 April.

21 April 1951: Marine carrier-based airplanes made their first aerial contact with enemy planes over the Korean front lines. Captain Philip C. Delong shot down two YAK fighters and 1st Lieutenant Harold D. Daigh destroyed one more and damaged another in the heavily defended Pyongyang-Chinnanpo area. Both pilots were with VMF-312 flying from the USS Bataan.

27 April 1805: First Lieutenant Presley N. O'Bannon, who with seven other Marines was part of a force of Greeks and Arabs led by American Consul William Eaton, raised the United States flag for the first time over a conquered fortress of the Old World at Derne, a stronghold of the Tripolitan pirates. Two Marines were killed and one wounded in the assault on the walled city.

28 April 1993: The last A-6E Intruder departed from Marine Corps service. Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 332 transferred the last Marine A-6E to St. Augustine, Florida, and prepared for the squadron's transition to the F/A-18D and eventual movement from Cherry Point to Beaufort, South Carolina.

First Lieutenant Presley N. O'Bannon, who with seven other Marines was part of a force of Greeks and Arabs led by American Consul William Eaton, raised the United States flag for the first time over a conquered fortress of the Old World at Derne, a stronghold of the Tripolitan pirates on 27 April 1805. Two Marines were killed and one wounded in the assault on the walled city. (Marine Corps Art Collection)

PLATOONS FORWARD PROGRAM

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, do I need to say more!


What's Happening in today's Marine Corps?


Emergency!’ Osprey make landing for training exercise

3/22/2010 By Lance Cpl. Alexandra M. Harris, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. —

When people think of mattresses they think of using them to sleep on but most don’t think about using them for a helicopter

to make a quick landing on. Pilots with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 started up the engine and circled the flight

line as they prepared to make an emergency landing on a pile of mattresses in an MV-22 “Osprey” here March 15. The

landing was part of a maintenance training exercise the squadron performs weekly. The drill involved the aircraft circling

about 1,100 feet above the flight line while Marines on the ground prepared a platform of mattresses (beds) the pilots would

land the aircraft on in the event of an emergency. The training simulated what the squadron would do in the event of an MV-

22 landing gear malfunction.

Landing on the flight line without the landing gear would damage the aircraft, explained Sgt. Saul Moreno, a crew chief with

VMM-161, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force. To avoid that, the aircraft lands

on the mattresses instead. In a real event, the pilots would leave the aircraft on the mattresses and the mechanics would

work on it from there. After the platform was set up, the pilots flew the aircraft five feet above the mattresses and about 20

feet above the ground. They adjusted their position according to arm signals that the ground Marines used. “We took it

down to point where we felt that we had accomplished the mission,” said Capt. Robert Biddle, an MV-22 pilot with VMM-161.

“You fight how you train. We got everything done that we needed to.”

The Aircraft Rescue Firefighters here also participated in the event. Several fire trucks waited on the flight line in case

anything went wrong with the training. “It’s always good to have them on scene to ensure that everyone is safe,” said Maj.

David Lane, an MV-22 pilot with VMM-161. “It’s always good when the team gets together and works well with each other.”

The drill as a whole went well, explained Lane. The squadron was able to practice everything smoothly. The Marines of VMM-

161 continue to set the example of how Marines put safety first and train to ensure they are ready for any situation that may

arise.


VETERAN’S ADMINISTRATION (VA) UPDATE VA AND OTHER BENEFITS TO BE PAID ELECTRONICALLY BY 2013 By Ed O'Keefe Washington Post Staff Writer

Beneficiaries now receiving payments will switch to direct deposit or the Direct Express Debit MasterCard by March 1, 2013.

NOTE from Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org ... This is just plain wrong. Many Americans do not trust banks or any kind of electronic transaction involving their funds. I hope the veterans' service organizations come forward and push for legislation that will allow veterans to receive a paper check if they choose. And, please note that there are fees for some transactions with the Direct Express Debit MasterCard. There should be NO fees if the government is going to force this on recipients of benefits. We have two pieces of information ... first a news report ... and second is the press release from the Treasury Department.

Most Social Security and other federal benefits payments will be made by direct deposit by 2013, the Treasury Department is set to announce Monday. The decision will eliminate about 136 million paper checks sent by the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board and Office of Personnel Management.

The switch is part of a broader plan to shift away from paper-based payments and transactions, and it will require businesses using Federal Tax Deposit coupons to move to electronic tax payments. The Treasury also plans to cut the purchase of paper savings bonds through payroll sales. The plans should save taxpayers about $400 million in processing, postage and paper costs in the first five years, the Treasury said.

Americans who enroll on or after March 1, 2011, for benefits payments will receive them by direct deposit or be enrolled in the government's Direct Express Debit MasterCard program if they do not provide bank account information. Beneficiaries now receiving payments will switch to direct deposit or the debit card by March 1, 2013, after agencies inform them of the changes, Treasury said.

Efforts at mandating direct payments have failed because the government had not established the debit card program for people who don't have bank accounts, said Assistant Treasury Secretary Richard L. Gregg. "Now we have it," he said. "It's a proven card, and we think it's a very good alternative."


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Good day everyone, I hope that you are enjoying the "Mail Call" and please contact me with any suggestions or comments. As you may have notice in this issue, I have added two new sections, "What's happening in today's Marine Corps" and "The Veterans Administration Update."

One final request, PLEASE BRING YOUR DUES TO THE MONTHLY MEETING WHEN THEY ARE DUE!

Our next meeting is Wednesday, April 28th, 2010, from 1900, at our usual meeting place: American Legion Post 327, 6521 Nieman Rd. in Shawnee.

Semper Fi,

John Sims - Mail Call Editor

Documents

MAIL CALL April 2010