Spring/Summer 2011 Patrol Report

BOARD of DIRECTORS

DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Robert G. "Doc" Buehl

PRESIDENT
Charles Kershaw

VICE PRESIDENT
Gary Maxam

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Curtis Gruetzmacher

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Larry Feldman

HISTORIAN
David “Doc” Snider

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Bob Morris

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
Jim Richards
Ken Benckwtz
Phil Peters
Bill Laber

CHAPLAIN
David Backer

RECON BATTALION UNIT DIRECTOR
Charles Howdyshell

THE CHAPLAIN'S CORNER

Thoughts of past and present chaplains Ray Tibbetts & Dave Backer

Only those that have been to war can really know what it is like. Many of us have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and need help dealing with the challenges in our lives. Letting it go or looking the other way is not the answer. We need to seek help and encourage our team mates to do the same. Recon Marines need to step up and take the lead helping those who are still struggling. Communicate with each other, share the challenges and triumphs, and encourage each other. We did it all the time in Recon, let’s continue. Remember, we’re a team. Let’s help each other understand what’s going on and encourage one another to seek help. You are not alone, many other warriors have struggled and found ways to deal with PTSD. The indifference or rejection we experienced affected us more than any could imagine. Life has been tough on many of us and PTSD needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

God said that He will help if we only ask. He has , not only in my life but in many of yours. We had each other as our safety net in the jungles of Vietnam. That may have been all we had. We must put our trust in something else now, there’s no safety net of Recon team mates anymore. If we put our faith and trust with the wrong person then, we got into trouble; often when trust is given, we are let down. However, if we trust in our Lord, he will never leave us wanting. He fills those gaps in our lives that we never knew existed, giving us the security that we long for and need. If we’ve not found peace, it is because our faith was placed in the wrong things. People let us down. and government fails to provide real solutions to life’s dilemmas.

Trusting Jesus Christ will not make all our troubles disappear, but we’ll be able to understand things better and navigate through life’s challenges. We’ll be on that road to peace and harmony in our families, our jobs and our everyday relations with those we’re in contact. We may start this with a simple prayer of trust to our Heavenly Father. Psalms 18:24 says-“…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

You can’t go wrong trusting your life to Jesus Christ. He came to this earth to die for our sins on the cross. His blood paid the price so we could get to His Father and have a relationship with Him. Getting our lives on track is a good thing. Good for everyone. Think about these thoughts. Talk about them with your Veteran friends. Good things can happen to you. We’re not alone, and never have to go through this stuff by ourselves. Semper Fi my brothers, Ray Tibbetts

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ

1st MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION REUNION 15-20 August 2011

Reunion Registration: The 1st Marine Division Association (FDMA) Reunion will be 15-20 August at Sheraton National Hotel located at 900 Orme Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204. 1st Recon Bn Association members should register on line with the FMDA at: www.afr-reg.com/1stMarine or use the mail in FDMA Reunion registration form included in the Patrol Report. FDMA Registration closes 15 July 2011!
Lodging: The Sheraton National is the official reunion site for 1st Marine Division Association and 1st Recon Bn Association. Reunion accommodations are available at a rate of $109.00 + tax per night. Parking is $18.00 per day. Reserve your rooms early; call the Sheraton at (703) 521-1900 or (888) 627-8210 and ask for the 1st Marine Division Association reunion rate.

Transportation. The Sheraton National provides complimentary shuttle service every 30 minutes to and from Washington Reagan National Airport. The Super Shuttle offers airport-hotel service from the Dulles and Baltimore Washington Airports; call (202) 296-6662 for information and reservations. The FDMA will provide bus transportation for all reunion tours.

1st Mar Div Association Events include visits to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the US Naval Academy, the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum at the Udvar-Hazy Center, the Marine Barracks, 8th & I Evening Parade and a Reunion Banquet. Details and registration forms are found at the 1st Marine Division Association website: www.afr-reg.com/1stMarine.
A FMDA Reunion Registration and Event form is included in the Patrol Report.

1st Recon Bn Association

1st Recon Bn Assn CP/Harbor Site: The 1st Recon Battalion Association Reunion CP and hospitality suite at the Sheraton National will be open to reunion attendees from 16-20 August. Recon Battalion Association members and guests are requested to sign in at our hospitality suite following their arrival at the Sheraton National.

Volunteers. Volunteers are needed to help with reunion registration, raffle ticket sales, raffle and silent auction item donations, and manning/maintaining the hospitality suite. Help us make this reunion succeed- volunteer some of your time for your Association.

Fund Raising. The reunion is your Association’s primary source of income. Our raffle, silent auction and Hospitality Suite refreshments keep the Association operating through the year. Please donate raffle and auction items, buy raffle tickets and bid generously at the silent auction.

1st Recon Battalion Memorial Dedication and Luncheon Reception will be conducted from 12:00 pm -4:30 pm, Thursday 18 August at the National Museum of the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA. Details for these events are on the following page.

1st Recon Bn Association General Membership Meeting and Election of Officers is Friday 19 August at 1:00 pm in our Hospitality Suite. Members will vote on revised, updated. Association By Laws and elect our Association President, Historian and an Associate Director.

Division Form

1ST RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION MEMORIAL

At 12:00 pm, 18 August 2011, the 1st Recon Battalion Association will dedicate its memorial in the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. We will honor the two hundred sixty-two Marines and Corpsmen, serving with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, who gave their lives in service to their Corps and country in Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. Lt Gen W.C. “Chip” Gregson, USMC Ret. Is our Guest of Honor. The memorial ceremony in the Memorial Park chapel will include a roll call of our Marines and Corpsmen who died in combat and laying a wreath at the memorial. A luncheon reception at The Clubs on Marine Corps Base Quantico will follow the memorial ceremony. Marines and Corpsmen who served with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Association members, family and friends of the Battalion are cordially invited to attend the memorial ceremony and reception. Event details are below.

Our thanks and gratitude to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Association members and friends who generously donated to the Memorial Fund, enabling our dream to become a reality.

1st RECON MEMORIAL EVENT INFORMATION

The Holiday Inn Dumfries-Quantico Center has earmarked 25 rooms for both Wednesday, August 17, 2011 and Thursday August 18, 2011 at a room rate of $95.00 per night, plus 10% tax. This rate is available 3 days prior and 3 days after our dates, based on availability. Make your reservations not later than July 17, 2011. To reserve your room, call the hotel direct at 703-441-9001 or Holiday Inn Central Reservations at 1-800-HOLIDAY. Reservations may be made on the website: www.holidayinn.com. Request Group Code RBA to ensure you receive the reunion rate.
Bus Transportation. The Association has reserved a 57 passenger DC Trails bus to transport Association members and family from the Sheraton National to Quantico and return, at a cost of $20.00 per person. The bus will depart the Sheraton at 10:45 am, 18 August and will depart the reception at 4:30 pm and return to the Sheraton at about 5:30 pm.

Reception. Immediately following the ceremony, luncheon reception will be held on base from 2:00-4:30 pm, at The Clubs at Quantico. The buffet luncheon, with baked chicken, roast top round of beef, vegetables, dessert and iced tea/coffee, will cost $25.00 per person.

RSVP. Make your reservations early and inform Charlie Kershaw if you plan to ride the bus, attend the memorial ceremony and attend the luncheon. Confirm and send payment for the bus and/or the reception to Charles Kershaw, 2527 Unicornio Street Carlsbad, CA 92009. RSVP for the bus and luncheon is required not later than 1 August 2011.

THE MEMORIAL

The 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Memorial is a black granite monument standing 101” high and 36” wide, mounted on a 48” x 20” base. The two hundred sixty-two
Recon Marines and Corpsmen who lost their lives in combat with1st Reconnaissance Battalion will have their rank, name, age at death and home state engraved on the face of the monument. 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Commemorative Bricks will line the pathway adjacent to our memorial.

SITREP

1st Reconnaissance Battalion, with Companies B and C and of Headquarters and Service Company (-), returned to Camp Pendleton California in December 2010 following a seven month deployment to Afghanistan. A Company and elements of H and S Company remained at Camp Pendleton in support of the deploying MEUs.

Raider Report, the battalion’s news letter, is available on line at 1st Recon Battalion’s official website: http://www.i-mef.usmc.mil/DIV/1ReconBn/. The Raider Report is also posted at our Recon Rendezvous web site: http://www.1streconbnassociation.org/Rendezvous/Raider Report 1st Recon Battalion’s website is comprehensive and very informative. To learn more about the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, visit their website.

Change of Command

On 14 January 2011, Lt Col Michael J. Mooney relinquished command of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion to Lt Col Brian Gilman. Lt Col Mooney assumed command of 1st Recon in February 2008 and deployed the battalion to Iraq twice and once to Afghanistan. Lt Col Mooney was selected to attend the Naval War College, Newport Rhode Island. Lt Col Gilman previously served in 1st Recon Battalion as the Intelligence Officer (S-2), Commanding Officer Company C and Battalion Operations Officer (S-3). Lt Col Gilman assumed command of 1st Recon Bn after serving as the 1st Marine Division Deputy G-2 and G-2 Forward. Our best wishes to Lt Col and Mrs Mooney for their leadership and service to 1st Recon’s Marines and Corpsmen and their families. Welcome aboard Lt Col and Mrs. Gilman; best wishes for your continued success at 1st Recon Battalion.

IN MEMORIAM

Warriors mourned by their comrades in arms

James D. Stacey A Company 1969-1970 December 2010

Joseph Specht 1st Force Company 1966 January 2011

Leroy Cardenas B Company, 1970/71 February 2011

2011 Recon Cruise