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MOBOAT NEWS 05 Jul 09
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Bob Behm
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Jul 05, 2009 22:19 PDT
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MOBOAT NEWS - VOL. 6 NO. 6
A newsletter for veterans of the “USS Monticello LSD 35"
Our website has had almost 26,200 visitors since it was launched in
August 2004.
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Inside This Issue:
1. WHAT'S NEW?
2. HOTEL RESERVATIONS
3. FINDING SHIPMATES
4. HAVE YOU MADE THAT CALL?
5. WEBSITE OF THE MONTH
6. CELLPHONE DICOUNTS
7. NEWS FROM THE NAVY LOG
8. GRAND PLAZA
9. ONLINE FORUM FOR REUNION PLANNERS
10. HUMOR
11. WHO'S REGISTERED
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1: WHAT'S NEW?
At last count, 614 crewmembers have signed into the online Deck Log.
We have had almost 26,200 visitors to our homepage.
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2: REUNION DEADLINE IS FAST APPROACHING!
Get Your registration forms in! The Deadline is July 15th.
Avoid the $50 late fee.
If you haven't made your hotel reservations, do it now!
Even if you are still deciding if you will attend for sure.
Reservations can be cancelled 2 days prior to the date without
penalty to you.
To have the banquet room and hospitality room given to us at no cost, we
need to book at least 30 rooms per night.
Many of you have told me that there are cheaper rooms in the Branson
area, but unfortunately that doesn't do our group much good if
we aren't centrally located at the guest hotel. We need to take
advantage of the "group rate" and "free" breakfasts and 10% lunch
discount offered by the Branson Grand Plaza. Those that stayed there
last reunion had nothing but good things to say about their stay.
The dates of the reunion are 16 - 19 September,
Sunday the 20th will be the departure day for most of us.
Remember that the banquet will be held on the Friday evening.
http://www.ussmonticello.com/reunion_update.htm
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3: DESTROYER VS. LIFEBOAT
Destroyer Vs. Lifeboat...Destroyer Wins
Naval journalist Robert D. Kaplan had an op-ed in Sunday's New York
Times, "Anarchy on Land Means Piracy at Sea." Kaplan states that the
various ships the United States Navy now possesses are too big (heavy)
and expensive to effectively carry out vital oceanic counterinsurgency
efforts. While the safe rescue yesterday of the captain of M/V Maersk
Alabama from Somali pirates holding him hostage in a lifeboat demolishes
the central argument of Kaplan's piece, his thesis does bear further
scrutiny, and rebuttal.
Vital shipping lanes are being ravaged hundreds of miles from land by
expendable mercenaries commanded by smart and ruthless pirate warlords.
The swelling costs of containment patrols, defensive measures, and
ransom payments impact the global economy. Dispatching the 9,400-ton
Arleigh Burke destroyer USS Bainbridge plus two smaller escorts was
cost-justified and militarily appropriate -- in fact, was necessary.
Bainbridge is massive enough to carry two heavily armed Seahawk helos.
Her deck cranes can launch speedboats with SEAL teams aboard, and in a
pinch could deploy SEAL Delivery Vehicle underwater scooters. She can
keep the sea in all weathers better than a smaller ship, and has longer
on-station logistical staying power. She offers more adequate space for
special mission communications and planning equipment and staff.
Bainbridge also sports powerful over the horizon surveillance systems
and weaponry, able to track and engage many targets at once. She has
sophisticated active sonar to search for hostile diesel subs, which
become a real issue when the destroyer needs to dwell near one location
for very long. She fields a broad spectrum of missiles plus
state-of-the-art machine guns and cannon. She's big enough and well
manned enough to take repeated hits from rocket propelled grenades, and
keep fighting.
The pirates had considerable further strength in this game beyond
Kaplan's "spectacle" of Maersk Alabama's "tiny" lifeboat with its
"handful" of men and a single captive. They've commandeered larger
vessels they use as motherships, and are well supplied with RPGs. They
were sending in several other captured foreign cargo vessels loaded with
hostage crews, to use as human shields. These might have tried to
surround, or fire upon, or even ram something less able to defend
herself and her escorts than USS Bainbridge.
Kaplan himself refers to the danger that mercenary pirate methods could
be adapted by suicidal terrorists. This argues in favor of larger
on-scene vessels, not smaller ones, to provide the command connectivity,
sensors, weaponry, endurance, and survivability required for the U.S.
Navy to prevail in any such fight to the death.
Sent in By BM3 John Huard
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4. HAVE YOU MADE THAT CALL?
How long has it been? Thirty, forty or fifty years since you've seen
each other.
Maybe all it will take to get your fellow shipmate to attend this year's
reunion is a call from you?
There is no time like the present. Make the call.
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5. WEBSITE OF THE MONTH
http://www.donttearmedown.com
This website is set up to sign a petition saving the Cross that was
errected in 1934 to honor all veterans defending the United States.
Someone contacted the ACLU to have this memorial removed that is
located on federal property. Watch the video and go to this website
to read more and make your opinion heard.
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6. CELLPHONE DICOUNTS
Military veterans and active-duty personnel are eligible for
significant discounts on cellphone plans - if they know to ask.
There are over 23 million veterans in the U.S. of which many are
unaware of the potential savings on their monthly cellphone bills.
Monthly military discounts range from 15% on Verizon Wireless plans
to 10% off - and no activation fee - on T-Mobile agreements. Alltel,
Sprint and AT&T offer similar discounts. While not everyone knows
about the discounts, those who do say that getting the companies to
register them for the cheaper plans is no easy task. Phoenix Arizona
resident Janis Johnson said she called her cellphone company to
register her husband, an Air Force veteran. At first, a customer
service representative said no veteran discount existed.
"Then she said we should get the 15 percent discount, but we
were supposed to go to the Web site," she said. Johnson eventually
gave up when she could find no place online to register.
Kenneth James Madetzke, 60, of Phoenix, had better luck.
The Vietnam War veteran was able to sign up for AT&T's discounted
plan and saves about $8 a month. "It makes me feel good to have
the money savings and be recognized as a veteran," Madetzke said.
"The disappointment was that there was no advertisement.
I had to pull it out of them." While waiting for doctor's
appointments at the VA hospital, Madetzke often tells fellow
veterans about the discount. Most, he said, know nothing about
the deals. Bill Messer, president of Vietnam Veterans of America's
Arizona State Council, said he used Verizon and hadn't heard of
the discount. Verizon spokeswoman Jenny Weaver said the firm makes
an effort to inform veterans of the savings, with in-store posters
and military-magazine ads. "There aren't any posters up in the Phoenix
metro area right now, because of some of the other promotions we have
going on," Weaver said. Most services require a military identification
card, veteran identification card or military discharge papers as proof
of veteran status. Some companies require online registration to get the
discount. Many companies, including Verizon, also offer discounted plans
for customers 65 and older.
Source: The Arizona Republic Parker Leavitt article 13 Jun 09
Sent in by Darrel Osborn
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7. NEWS FROM THE NAVY LOG
The Navy Log now has two web sites: www.navylog.org –
where you can search and create your service profile and add it
to the roster of more than 610,000 other service members,
and www.navylogcommunity.org – where you can build an online
scrapbook of your service and create and join ship, squadron
and unit groups.
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8. BRANSON GRAND PLAZA
Built in 1995, the Grand Plaza Hotel is independently owned and operated
by Combs Hotel Properties. The Grand Plaza Hotel is a proud member and
supporter of the Branson Chamber of Commerce, Table Rock Lake Area
Chamber of Commerce and the Branson Veteran Task Force.
The Grand Plaza Hotel is located in the heart of the Branson just off
the world famous Highway 76 Country Boulevard. Within walking distance
to some of Branson’s biggest stars, as well as some of the greatest
outlet shopping.
Call for reservations at 1-800-850-6646
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9. ONLINE FORUM FOR REUNION PLANNERS
I had been seaching for shipmates years back before the internet. I
seached the VFW and the American Legion magazines for a listing of a
possible ship's reunion. Then one evening while logged into an online
dial-up bulletin board, my wife came in the office amd told me "your
ship is having a reunion", I said "when", she said "as soon as you start
planning it."
That was my wake up call. I called local folks that build websites and
they wanted anywhere from $1800 to $2500 to build a website for us and
then more money for the maintenace fee. I went to the bookstore and
bought two books one on "FrontPage" and one "HTML." Our website has been
online since 2004. We have had over 600 former crewmembers log-in and
have had over 25,000 visitors.
Our first reunion took place in Las Vegas, NV. We had 75 attend. We
charged a flat registration fee of $150. The second reunion was in
Branson, MO. We had 100 attend. . Our next reunion is back in Branson in
September of this year. The fee is still $150. This pays for
entertainment, the snacks and beverages in the hospitality room and the
banquet.
In 2007 I wrote letters to all the shows in Branson and asked them for a
"donation" of show tickets for our "registration raffle." We had enough
tickets and other gift items for each couple that attended.
We sell hats, shirts, coffe cups, etc to help pay for web hosting and
domain name fees.
We also have each couple bring an item associated from their hometown or
state to be placed in the banquet raffle.
We joined an organization called the "Reunion Friendly Network" these
folks assist military reunion planners by holding conferences throughout
the country in host cities. The fee to attend is minimal and they invite
the local CVB, hotels and other local vendors to the conferences. They
also publish a quarterly magazine. They have been a great help to my
wife and I. We have hosted all three reunions.
This year we signed a contract to have 30 rooms per night to earn one
night for the planners. Free breakfast, hospitality room, banquet room,
parking and rooms at $79 per night.
We purchase landyards with the ship's name and print name tags to be
worn during "official" functions. We also buy a lapel pin that is
designed especially for each reunion. (These pins and landyards have
become collectors items.)
Our reunions take place every two years, once I retire we can think
about an annual event. The plankowners tell me that they aren't getting
any younger.
Our reunion notice is published in about 19 different veteran's
magazines and numerous locations on the internet.
Thank you for this forum. I look forward to our meeting in D.C.
Beamer
Webmaster/Reunion Coordinator
USS Monticello LSD 35
http://www.allmilitaryreunions.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20
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10. HUMOR
An Ensign was sitting his first qualification board for Officer of the
Deck at sea. After several hours of watching the young officer answer
difficult questions from the members of the board, the ship’s Captain
decided to finish off the board by placing the Ensign in a completely
hypothetical emergency situation. “What would you do if a sudden storm
sprang up on the starboard side?” he asked.
“Throw out an anchor, Sir,” the Ensign replied.
“And what would you do if another storm sprang up aft?”
“I’d throw out another anchor, Captain.”
“And if another terrific storm sprang up forward, what would you do
then?” asked the Captain.
“Throw out another anchor, Sir,” the Ensign said.
“Hold on,” said the Captain. “Where are you getting all those anchors
from?”
The Ensign smiled. “From the same place you’re getting all those storms,
Sir.”
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11. WHO'S REGISTERED FOR THIS YEAR"S REUNION?
Michael & Kathy Battisti SN 1965-1969
John & Lori Barry MM2 1962-1964
David & Betty Clifford BT2 1957
Emmett & Faye Dunn MM2 1962-1965
Gerald & Carrie Helgeson ME3 1957-1958
John & Anna Huebner EN3 1962-1963
Christopher Keegan MMFN 1983-1985
Harwood Lockhart SH1 1957-1961
Paul & Bonnie Lindauer ME3 1957-1959
Ron & Beverly Milks MM2 1958-1962
George & Bonnie Mitchell EN2 1963-1967
Larry & Helen Osborne SN 1960-1963
Steven & Glenda Sakry BT2 1973-1976
Robert & Maria Behm BM3 1969-1971
Rodney C. Foskett MM3 1962-1966
Bob & Dick Dean RD3 1957-1959
Samuel & Nilda Kinne IC2 1974-1978
Forrest & Katherine Albin BM3 1968-1970
Thomas J. Jr. & Claire Moran MR2 1957-1958
James Robert & Frances Campbell MM3 1961-1964
Larry D. Lynch & Trud Beal EM3 1958-1960
Jack E. & Lydia Dover SN 1957
Gilbert R. & Virginia Gould EM3 1957-1960
Carl & Sara Morawski IC2 1958-1961
Irving Bovis RMC 1964-1966
Jerry & Karen West 1958-1960
James & Lynn Jopek BT2 1975-1980
Arlis & Becky Tyner SN 1957-1959
Floyd & Linda Tucker BM1 1972-1977
Keith & Patricia Beck EN2 1957-1960
David & Carolyn Poff PF2 1957-1958
Dan & Lynn Hirtz FNMR 1962-1963
Frank & Becky Ruhl PN3 1961-1963
Jeff Whitney BT2 1975-1979
Tim & Mary Mooney MM3 1959-1963
Chandler & Dorothy "Dot" James IC3 1957-1961
Earl & Marie Cecero MMC 1966-1970
You and Yours?
Get those registrations forms in this week!
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Well... that's all for this Issue of the MoBoat News.
I truly hope this newsletter found you well.
Please continue spreading the word about ussmonticello.com.and our
reunion.
Feel free to forward this Newsletter to anybody you think might
find it interesting.
If this Newsletter was forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe,
just visit http://ussmonticello.com/newsletter.htm. All back issues
ofthe MoBoat News are also available there as well.
So long for now,
Bob Behm (Beamer)
Webmaster: USSMonticello.com
Former BM3
USS Monticello LSD 35 '69-'71
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