View this page "Presidents' Pages"

[10th Mountain Descendants]

Reports from Presidents of the National Association of 10th Mtn
Division and 10th Mountain Descendants, Inc

Click on http://groups.google.com/group/10-mtn-descendants/web/presidents-pages?hl=en
- or copy & paste it into your browser's address bar if that doesn't
work.

[10th Mountain Descendants]

National Association of the 10th Mt. Div., Inc.
P.O. Box 150
Carthage, NY 13619

13 June, 2008
To Chapter Presidents of the National Association of the 10th Mt.
Div., Inc.
Re. Monthly News Letter

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. The National Association’s Strategic Plan has been approved by the
Board of Directors and is now our way forward.

2. The following are our membership numbers through 31 May, 2008:

Category 2006 2007
2008
WWII 10th Mt. Div. Veterans 1850 1718 1339
WWII 10th Mt. Div Widows 323 335 226
10th Mt. Div. Veterans 69 73 45
10th Mt. Div. (Light) Veterans 166 269 958
Other Mt. Units 23 30 41
Associates 77 77 39
Honorary 24 26 9
Friends 24 64 50
Total 2556 2592 2707

3. 10th Mt. Div (Light) membership has increased from 269 on 1 Jan
2007 to 958 on 31 May, 2008. Efforts continue at Fort Drum to “enlist”
active duty Soldiers. A membership committee has been formed to
develop our national advertisement campaign to attract 10th Mt. Div.
(Light) alumni. I have also asked the Chapter Presidents to launch
similar campaigns in their geographical areas. The truth is that if we
don’t capture some of the 150,000 alumni and get them involved at the
Chapter level, the Association will never achieve its full potential.

4. While I believe that at some time in the future our Blizzard will
be all delivered electronically, complete with text, pictures and
video clips, we will continue to publish a BLIZZARD as long as we have
WWII Veterans who want to read it.

5. The Associations web site is being upgraded and should replace the
existing site by 1 August (www.10thmtndivassoc.org). If you have any
ideas on what you would like to see on the site, please let me know.


6. If you come across any of our Wounded Warriors who are in Military
or VA hospitals, please let me know and I will send you our Wounded
Warrior support pack. It will consist of a cloth rucksack to hang on a
wheel chair or crutches, a Climb to Glory bathrobe, a hat and tee
shirt with 10th Mt. Div. Logo, a set of tear away sweats and a NFL
quality 10th Mt. Div. football jersey. It may be until September
before I have all these items assembled but I can receive your request
at any time.

7. 13. The Fort Drum Centennial: There will be a Centennial
Celebration for Ft Drum the last week of June, 2008. Significant dates
are: Salute to the Nation on 26 June and a major air show to be held
on 28 and 29 June. All of you are invited to attend however no formal
Association activities are planned. The 2009 IFMS is scheduled to be
in France.

8. The Fort Drum Centennial: There will be a Centennial Celebration
for Ft Drum the last week of June 2008. It will build on the existing
Mountain Fest with the salute to the Nation on 26 June and a
significant air show on 28 and 29 June. All of you and your chapter
members are invited to attend if your schedule allows.

9. The next EXCOM is scheduled for 8 November, 2008, in Watertown,
NY.

10. Death notification process (tailored from that used by the New
England Chapter). Please use the following process to disseminate
information about the deaths of Association members:

A. Information about the date and place of death should be sent to the
BLIZARD Editor Felicity Hallanan using her email address
(blizz...@gmail.com) and the Executive Director Craig Boss at his
email address (cbo...@gmail.com). If you send Felicity a short
biography she will publish it in the next addition of the BLIZZARD.

B. Use the geographic section of the 2007 National Roster (page 126)
to notify members in nearby towns/cities of the date and place of the
memorial service.

C. Suggest that the funeral director request an honor guard by calling
the National Guard in the appropriate State or if in CT, MA, ME, NH,
NY (most parts), RI or VT, you can request a 10th Mt. Div. honor
guard by calling the Fort Drum Casualty Office at 315 772 6465/3930

11. I attended the Memorial Service at Tennessee Pass hosted by the
Rocky Mountain Chapter. A very well done and a great turn out. The
Living History Group once again sparkled.

12. Had an informal meeting with Gary Burton and Val Rios on our
strategic plan and our vision of the future. I will attend the
Descendant’s and the Foundation’s Board of Directors meeting in June
and July and brief our plan. One of the actions in the plan is to form
a committee to look at the best structure for all three organizations
as we move in to the future.

13. Discussed the need for a membership campaign with John Russell who
may become the chair of the membership committee. He and John Donnelly
are working on a draft campaign plan due to me in August.

14. I would like to give you a quick update on activities in your
Division:

A. The 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 4th BCT and the 3rd of the 17th
Air CAV are still in Iraq (about 8,000 Soldiers). The 3rd 17th Air CAV
will begin their redeployment in July.

B. In May the Division HQs (1,000 Soldiers) deployed to Iraq. The Div
HQs has replaced the 3rd Infantry Division in South Baghdad for a 15
month tour. The 10th Combat Aviation Brigade and 10th Sustainment
Brigade will follow in the October for a 12 month deployment and I
expect the 3rd BCT to deploy to Iraq in early 2009 followed by 2nd BCT
later in the year. If you or some school, scout troop, business or
civic organization you know of is interested in adopting one of these
platoons, please email me at plum...@aol.com and I’ll send you some
information on the Adopt a 10th Mt. Platoon program.

C. To date the Division has had 151 KIA and over 1,500 WIA. Two
Soldiers remain MIA - captured in Iraq (SGT Jimenez and PFC Fouty).

D. There are over 385 wounded and injured Soldiers in the Warriors
Transition Unit, 3rd Battalion, 85th Mountain Infantry.

E. All the units at Fort Drum will be on Block Leave 28 June – 15
July.

E. Fort Drum Web Site: If you want to know more about what is going
on at Fort Drum
and with the 10th Mt. Div. you can get it all at the following web
site www.drum.army.mil

Climb to Glory!

Mike Plummer
President

[Pat]

News from 10th Mtn Association President, Mike Plummer

[Pat]

September Update

[Patricia Finn Thornton]

Mike Plummer, National Association President, has posted his December
newsletter. Please forward to veterans who may not have internet or
email. Thanks.

[Patricia Finn Thornton]

July newsletter and update from Mike Plummer, Association President

[Patricia Finn Thornton]

December Newsletter

[Patricia Finn Thornton]

Subject: January 2010 News Letter