12th TFW Association – Business Meeting, April 2014

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Issues and Actions for Discussion

• Association Financial Status – By Bill Cathey

This item was covered in detail, below is a summary;

3Q/2012 Balance $ 4,271.90

Income $ 21,197.43

Expenses $ 8,913.05

1Q/2014 Balance $ 16,556.28

Note - Reunion expenses pending.

• Election of Officers;

� New President: Claude “Skip” Blanchard

• Presided over the meeting replacing Ron Matsuda.

� New Vice President: Ron “Rowdy” Doughty

� Membership Services: No volunteers, Jim Mindak agreed to another term.

� Member Communication: No volunteers, E J Sherwood agreed to another term.

• Select 2016 reunion Site (Eastern Time Zone should be next location)

o Sites voted on and proposed are in this order for priority;

� Charleston, SC - With John Newman agreeing to be point man.

� Newport News/Hampton, VA area.

� Dayton, OH. (3rd because we have been to Dayton already)

• Proposal – by John Newman: Create and maintain an internal “Members Only Duty Roster” to

include Unit/Squadron, Job Title, Base, and Time Period, and photo to allow others to locate members in

common.

o Great and very detailed presentation given to the membership for the profile..

o Agree to keep info protected in Members Only site, in PDF, with no hard copy/down-

loadable option.

• Challenge Coins - Do we need more now, or when do we order? – E J Sherwood

o The vote was yes.

o E J Sherwood to work with Tiger II productions and Bill Cathey to review pricing.

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o Another coin buy will be made; a buyers forecast first to determine the amount of coins. (same

process as in 2012) This will be done this year/2014.

• Dues Cycle and collection explained - when members are signing up on odd or even numbered years

and not at a reunion. This was clarified as current process as being fair and working.

• Life Memberships – we have repeatedly been asked about this.

o All the options of age and charges were discussed.

o It was voted on and decided we would not offer a life membership to the general

membership. The steady flow of revenue was important to cover expenses as we all begin to

age.

o A Life Membership was voted for Donald W. McCollough, a 12th Fireman who lost an arm

while fighting an aircraft fire during runway crash at CRAB.

• Do we need assistants or back-ups identified for any other officer positions? – (we are getting older)

o We should recruit internally where needed.

o Major concern was the 12th web page where there is a lot of work and activity.

• The 12th & 15th wing pilot group, (once known as the “Hog Drivers”), were asking members to

step up for leadership in hosting reunions. So far they have no takers on this, so do we want to reach

out to them? If yes, who and how? I have the primary contact (Carolyn Bauer’s email address). EJ

o Action: “Andy” and EJ to write a letter to see if any would join us.

• 12th Memorial at Canon City – Rework of Panel J (12 TFW section) – By Ron Doughty

o In August 2013, on the Cañon City, CO, memorial brick wall (http://12tfw.org/memorial/), the

Fremont county government inadvertently engraved 81 bricks with names of personnel not

related to the 12 TFW on "Panel J" which was devoted completely to the 12 TFW since

September 2001.

o We have been in consultation with the Fremont county people during the past few months and

apparently there is a resolution to the problem. A solution we identified involved: all 12th bricks

could be included on Panel J rows #1 through #9, and leave row #10 blank. To do that, the 12th

bricks from rows 10-17 need to be moved up to replace non-12th bricks and blank bricks; we

have a rough estimate from a brick mason that it could be done for about $4000.

o We have received a reply:

"The commissioners agreed on getting bids on moving the bricks to make up another panel K

which will be divided by the red brick and give that panel or designate it to the 12th. No one had

12th TFW Association – Business Meeting, April 2014

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any doubt that the issue of the brick on the wrong panel was a problem that should be fixed and

paid for by the county. There would be more discussion on how to finance the project once the

bids are in and that there were some funds available in the Memorial brick account."

o Although the county said they would pay for it, Ron Doughty proposed the idea for us to pitch

in, with the rationale that if we send them money, it would tend to prevent them from backing

out, would express good will, and may expedite the project. At the business meeting, the

members voted to pay $1000 toward the project, contingent on completion of the project and

execution of a written agreement to insure that the new Panel K would suitably remain dedicated

to the 12 TFW.

o Ron Doughty stated that he and a few other individuals had also pledged a total of $1000 toward the project. If others would like to make a pledge, they may contact Ron.

• Membership Dues: Members attending the reunion “re-upped” for two more years. Many of you already mailed in your payment for coverage through 2016. Thank You! Others will be reminded in Nov. or Dec. 2014.

• Special Recognition during the event; Ronald Doughty (webmaster and Canon City Memorial dedication/rededication event organizer) and Norman Malayney (Historian, story writer and the one responsible for the declassification of our war documents) were recognized for their contributions to the wing and the association. A bottle of 2014 Reunion wine was presented to each.

• The 12 TFW Association Staff would like to thank Ronald Matsuda for acting as the association President for the last six years.

• 2014 Reunion Cap: A reunion cap (see photo below) and a 12 TFW Shopping bag with both sides of our challenge coin imprinted, were issued to each party attending the 2014 reunion.

o The 2016 Reunion Cap: Was selected by the membership after reviewing some samples. It will be an offering of either a solid or mesh cap (we will make both), in black, with the 12 TFW Assoc. challenge coin as the cap logo (the side with the F-4 view).

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Photo provided by Paul Decker,12 TFW Association

Pensacola Reunion Feedback: We had a great time, although I had some reservations about my wife but that was no problem she really enjoyed herself. We already have the car packed for the next one! - Michael Murphy, (first 12 TFW Reunion) Thanks for a memorable time in Pensacola - You guys did a great job - Thank you so much. - As you promised, we made new friends' - Paul Decker (first 12 TFW Reunion) First let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed the reunion and I was glad to have a chance to meet so many wonderful people. I am very proud to be a member of this Association and thankful to have a chance to contribute in some small way. – John Newman (first 12 TFW Reunion) Many Thanks for all the many hours of preparations, planning, and getting all the attendees invited to Pensacola for the 12 TFW Reunion. – Robert & Carolyn Weyant. I want to thank you and everyone that planned and worked so hard to make this reunion so memorable for me and all the others. I have never been to a reunion before and I had thought about going and almost backed out. - Denny Fenstermaker Thanks for all the hard work and time put in by the 12th staff to make this a great reunion. See you in 2016. - C B & Joan DeVogel. I wanted to take a moment and let you know that I sincerely enjoyed attending the reunion for the first time. WOW! I had a great time and I certainly look forward to the next reunion. I look forward to getting involved as I learn more about the organization and its workings. – Tom “Doc” Daugherty.