70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA.02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
Hello,
 
I will leave in the morning for the Palm Springs reunion and thus this is the last Mail Call until next weekend.
 
Ben

                                                           REGISTRATION FORM

        Here are some items that I suggest be discussed at the California Mini Reunion in such a manner that will permit exposure and possible action taken
prior to the National Reunion in Portland, Oregon.  The fact that we now have National Annual Reunions has shortened the reaction time for decision making
for selecting a 2007 Reunion Site and other important matters that affect us as an Association in the final stages of passing our Historical Heritage to he 517th PRCT Auxiliary Association.  as we have so agreed. Unfortunately. at this time, no such Plan exists even in rudimentary  form.
    We are grateful that Gene Frice  was able to come up with a Reunion Site and Program for the 2006 National Reunion.  It is no easy matter and we are
fortunate his leadership and judgment were equal to this task. We are also thankful that Howard Hensleigh is volunteering his legal knowledge and leadership abilities for insuring that we effectively plan for the eventual handover to the Auxiliary Association. Time is not on our side and we must start now to take the action as stated in the preceding paragraph.
    I offer the following items, with comments pertaining thereto,  for immediate consideration by all addressee's listed in this message.
    1. Appoint a Permanent Association Reunion Committee.
       Comment: Since we have chosen to go to Annual National Reunions we do not have the time or capability to select a new Committee for each coming   successive year. Continuity is important when operating on an annual basis.
    2. Selecting a Source From Outside Our Association to Assist in Managing Our Annual National Reunions.
        Comment: Source selection would apply to such sole agents like the Armed Forces Reunion Inc. organization which has achieved considerable
favorable endorsements from other military organizations who have elected to use their services. Information on this organization is available and it will be presented for review at the California Mini Reunion. Additional possibilities are to join other Airborne Reunion Organizations and still retain our unit identity. Don Lassen's Annual STATIC LINE Airborne Reunion in Atlanta is another possibility. I talked to Don Lassen this week and he offered his services  to us stating that we could take advantage of his special Hotel Rates and also join in his Programs or modify ours in the manner we desire.  Additionally we would retain our unit identity and have our own hospitality facilities. I believe the time has arrived wherein we will have  difficulty in finding volunteers, with back-up, that we can count on to plan and conduct our Annual National Reunions. I believe the time has come to take a hard look at our capability to manage an Annual National Reunion from within our own resources.  This is an item for immediate review and a  decision made without further delay. I seriously doubt that we have the sustaining capability to support Annual National Reunions within our Association and that this situation will further deteriorate with the passage of time.
    3. Requirement For Author For 517th PRCT Column in the STATIC LINE Newspaper.
        Comment: This position was normally filled by the President of the 517th PRCT Association or a Volunteer from within the Membership of the  
Association. It is important that we fill this position. It presents an opportunity to inform other Airborne organizations  of our status and activities. I authored this Column for 8 years and I am fully aware of its value and need for both the Airborne Community and to our own Organization.  It joins us with the Airborne Brotherhood both past and present.  The Editor and Publisher of our THUNDERBOLT Newspaper would be  an excellent choice for this
 important function .
    4. Funding the Thunderbolt Newspaper
       Comment: The funding for the operation of the THUNDERBOLT has been decreed and $10 out of the $30 donation is the amount set for the require for Association Membership. This implies that $10 times the total number of Members who each paid $30 for Membership is the total
 amount budgeted for operation of the THUNDERBOLT plus any specific donations, from Members or other sources, that designated the
THUNDERBOLT as the recipient of the donation. When you exceed that amount then you have exhausted the funds and need to go to the Board of Directors and Officers of the Association and justify the request for additional funds.  It will be at that time that the mess about whom other then the paid up members get free copies of the THUNDERBOLT and an end to the current confusion of whom gets when and why.  This must be settled and a clear policy announced and adhered to without delay. There seems to be differing opinions on this subject a the present time
    5. Appoint a Committee to Recommend a Policy for the Handling of Foreign Guests.
        Comment: The distinction between personal guests and official guests seems to be lacking. Official Guests should be defined and supported from Association or Reunion Funds rendered. in an appropriate amount.
 It would be of great benefit to the Officers of the Association as well as to the General Membership if we could address these issues prior to the Annual
National Reunion date. Please feel free to add your comments to the issues mentioned  in this message or for that matter anything else that would be of benefit to members of both the 517th Association and the 517th Auxiliary Association. We have an outstanding web site that can be used for this purpose
 Regards, Tom Cross