DINNER MEETING 12 NOVEMBER

Our speaker, LtCol Barbara Hunter, USAF (ret) gave a very informative briefing on her participation as a member of the Department of the Air Force Retiree Council. They met this summer where the 19 volunteer Representatives from all over the nation discussed many topics of interest to retirees. She discussed their findings on recruiting in today’s difficult environment where a variety of initiatives are bearing some fruit such as greatly increased enlistment/re-enlistment bonuses, and return to active duty programs. She provided information/websites on retiree benefits, DFAS contact information, spouse survivor information, new ID requirements, and VA improvements. Barbara encouraged us to utilize the MBCH VA and to replace any old blue IDs for service members and the tan ones for dependents with the new color ID ones which will be required in 2025. They can be obtained at bases or even online.

DINNER MEETING 8 OCTOBER 

Our featured speaker was Devin Parks, Director of Economic Development for the City of Myrtle Beach. Devin joined the Myrtle Beach team in November of 2022 by way of the Conway Chamber of Commerce, where he served as the Director of Economic Development and Government Relations for eight years. Devin is a Coastal Carolina University Alumnus and has lived in Horry County since 1996.

Devin works very closely with Mayor Bethune of Myrtle Beach on a project to revitalize the downtown section of the city (around 9th Avenue) that is referred to as the new Arts and Innovation Boulevard. The aim is to create an environment that will attract private investment in new businesses, and young graduates seeking employment. It is anticipated that the new businesses will add a new vibrancy of the city. To achieve this, the city has taken several initiatives. It has an incubator section of offices where new start-ups have a chance to grow. They are investing (through state grants) in retaining and renovating historic buildings to house these efforts. These plans have been in progress for several years, but this type of project typically takes ten years to finish. Though not another Market Common, they will use many of the principles used there. It should be a great advancement of our community. 

DINNER MEETING 10 SEPTEMBER

Members were treated to a wonderful presentation by Lee

Brockington, a renowned local historian, Hobcaw Barony interpreter,

author, and public speaker. She gave a tour de force lecture on the history

of Pawleys Island from its initial settlement to modern times. She told

fascinating vignettes of many of the famous and wealthy residents of the

area as well as aspects of the Gullah-Geechee culture of the slaves and

their descendants who enabled the Low Country plantations to be

successful. Lee Brockington’s blend of warm humor, insightful

observations on the social structure of the Low Country through centuries,

and her wide ranging knowledge of the area’s complex history provided the

attendees a wonderful experience. Several members were glad to have

the opportunity to purchase an autographed copy of her book, Pawleys

Island, Stories from the porch.

LUNCHEON MEETING JUNE 18

Congressman Russell Fry was our featured speaker for June and addressed a full room of chapter members. A long-time friend of the Congressman and a chapter member, Jerry Rovner, made the introduction. It was good to meet our area’s legislator on Capitol Hill and get his opinion on the state of our country. He made the following points:

·        Being a congressman is not that sexy. There are arduous  committee debates, media interviews, HR voting, etc., but what gives him the most satisfaction is solving problems for individual constituents. You can get something done and see the results of your effort. The bickering and the great divide between political parties is no fun.

·       Too much Congressional power assigned to this legislative body in  Art. 1 of the Constitution has been abdicated to the Executive Branch. This takes form as presidential executive orders and  bureaucratic regulations. Both political parties when occupying the White house are at fault.

·       An avid supporter of veterans’ issues. He will always honor those who serve to protect and fight for our freedom.

·       Congress has approved the latest version of the National Defense Authorization Act, and it is now up to the Senate and the President to approve. The bill authorizes nearly $900 billion for the nation’s defense. The NDAA prioritizes improving U.S. service members’ quality of life and restores focus of our military on warfighting and deterring rising global threats.

·       The greatest threat to our democracy is our national debt. Currently, our debt interest owed is approximately the same amount as we use to fund our military. Again, both parties share the blame for excess spending.

DINNER MEETING MAY 14, 2024

Major General Newton addressed the JROTC cadets challenging them to abide with the Army values which if followed are the key elements of successful leadership. He pointed out that values are not to be confused with opinions. Values are time tested, while opinions change with outside influences. Army values are:

•        Loyalty – Bear true faith and allegiance to the US Constitution, the Army and your unit and fellow soldiers
•        Duty – Fulfill your obligations
•        Respect – Respect others
•        Selfless Service – Put the welfare of the nation and the accomplishment of the mission ahead of individual desires
•        Honor – An Army value
•        Integrity – Develop by adhering to moral principles and not deceiving others
•        Personal Courage – The ability to face fear, danger, or adversity, both physical and moral.

THE FOLOWING SENIOR JROTC CADETS RECEIVED A $3000 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP

          Cadet Sean Bowker (St. James Army JROTC

 Cadet Bowker attends St. James High School where he is the Battalion Commander of the unit (1^st   Semester). He is ranked 7^th out of 408 seniors, a National Honors Society member, and an Eagle Scout. He   was chosen as Horry County’s JROTC Cadet of the Year for 2023. He serves as Team Captain for his unit’s   Varsity Raiders, Honor Guard, and JROTC Academic Team. Cadet Bowker’s future goal is to obtain a civil   engineering degree.

            Cadet Briar Long (Georgetown Navy JROTC)

 Commanding Officer of his Georgetown NROTC unit and drill team commander, Cadet Long is an active   cadet. He has a 4.47 out of 5.0 cumulative grade point average. He participates in the Mu Alpha Theta   Honor Society, Science Honor Society, AP Scholar, Interact Club, National Honor Society, and Student   Council as Senior Officer. He has been the captain of the soccer team for the last 3 years. Cadet Long plans   to attend a 4-year college and obtain a degree in civil engineering.

                         Cadet Haylee Miller (St. James Army JROTC)     

 Cadet Miller is the Battalion Commander (2^nd Semester) of the unit. Haylee was chosen as   the Horry   County Cat Raiders Cadet of the Year for 2024. She is the Captain of the Color     Guard and Honor Guard   teams, as well as participating in the Varsity Raiders, Archery, and    JLAB Leadership Teams. She has     received the Order of the Purple Heart and the American   Legion Leadership Excellence Award. Cadet   Miller will attend the University of South   Carolina through the Army ROTC program. She plans to major in psychology and upon     commissioning enter the medical service corps with the future goal of going into   psychological operations.

             Cadet Michael York (Aynor Army JROTC)

 Cadet York maintains a 4.3 out of 5.0 cumulative grade average. He is on the A honor roll and is a member   of both the Beta Club and National Honor Society. He participates in Cross Country (Captain), Marching   Band, Concert Band and Church Band. Cadet York is his unit’s Varsity Raider Team captain and participates   in the JROTC Leadership Lab team. Cadet York will attend Coastal Carolina University on a ROTC   Scholarship and seek a commission in the Army. 

        

       

DINNER MEETING APRIL 9, 2024

Paige Sawyer spoke to us about patriotism and how it is currently out of favor with much of our population.  What better representation of our patriotism than the United States flag.  He gave many examples where citizens have stood up for the principals of our country in war, in poetry, essays, etc. (Star Spangled Banner).  To desecrate our flag and what it represents is an affront to those who have given their lives fighting for our freedom.  He looked with disfavor at the flag burning, use of the flag in clothing, improper display of the flag, taking a knee in front of the  flag at sporting events, etc.  These are all indications that we have lost our way, and he hopes for a return to more respect for our country and the freedoms it provides.  He thanked all service members for their unselfish service to our country.

Patriotism was an apt theme for this evening as we celebrated and honored twelve CCU ROTC cadets who were graduating and obtaining their Army commissions in 2024.  In addition, the Colonel Robert Hawkins award ($3,000) was given to Cadet Scott Boster who will graduate May 2nd and will be commissioned in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, Military Intelligence Branch.

                             Honored CCU Cadets

     Cadet Scott Boster

DINNER MEETING, MARCH 12 2024D 

We were once again fortunate to have one of our members, Captain Norm Henslee, USCG (Ret.) to speak about one of the lesser-known military services that serve our country. Incorporated in his presentation were unique historical facts, and duties/responsibilities of the Coast Guard, and then some sea stories based on his firsthand experiences. In his case, upon graduation from high school, Norm was accepted into the US Naval Academy and the Guard Academy, but chose the latter because he felt it  would be more rewarding to immediately help others rather then spending most of his time training to perform wartime duties, if such an event occurred.  Besides, during wartime, the  US Coast Guard became part of the Department of the Navy. During peacetime, the Coast Guard has been a member of the Commerce and Treasury Departments, but now resides in the Department of Homeland Security. Here are some of the interesting facts covered in his presentation.

                The duties of the Coast Guard include:

• ·        Search and rescue!
• ·        Law enforcement
• ·        Safety of vessels
• ·        Maintenance of seamarks
• ·        Border control!
• ·        Saving lives and assisting people in distress
• ·        Protecting public property
• ·        Launching small boat and aircraft missions

          Here are some interesting facts about the history of the US Coast Guard:

• ·        The Coast Guard was founded on August 4, 1790, after Congress commissioned the construction of 10 ships to             help enforce federal tariffs and prevent smuggling.
• ·        The Coast Guard is the longest continuous serving military maritime force.
• ·        The Coast Guard has served valiantly in 17 wars and conflicts in US history.
• ·        The Coast Guard icebreaker Eastwind became the first cutter to ever sail around Antarctica in 1967.
• ·        Coast Guard officers train aboard a captured Nazi sailing ship.

The USCGC Eagle began its life in 1936 in Nazi Germany as the SSS Horst Wessel. Christened by Adolf Hitler, the Horst Wessel was intended to serve as a training ship for the German Kriegsmarine. It served the Germans for three years, but when World War II kicked off, it was sidelined. The ship later became the training ship for the US Coast Guard Academy.

Dinner Meeting, February 13, 2024

The Air Force to the rescue! Early on the date of our dinner, Vice President Brown was informed by the scheduled speaker that he had been evaluated positive for Covid. Calls were made and one of our chapter members, retired Colonel Denny Yount volunteered to fill in for the event. Reading today’s newspapers, there is much written on the F-35, F-16, and F-22, but one of our most successful battle- tested planes, the A-10 Warthog is invisible. Denny served on this plane for 18 years and related his firsthand experiences through assignments during Desert Storm, Bosnia, and the Middle East.

The A-10 was designed specifically for close air support of ground forces. The A-10 is very maneuverable at low speeds and low altitudes to ensure accurate weapon delivery, and it carries the systems and armor needed to survive in this environment. It is intended for use against all ground targets but is particularly effective against tanks and other armored vehicles. The Thunderbolt II's great endurance gives it a large combat radius and long loiter time in a battle area. Its short takeoff and landing capability permits operation from airstrips close to the front lines.

Developed during the Cold War to tear through Soviet tanks trying to make their way through the Fulda Gap between East and West Germany, the A-10 was a vital component of the AirLand Battle doctrine. The idea was to maintain the balance of forces, use technology to overcome the Warsaw Pact's numerical superiority and be an effective deterrent to aggression.

Even before the plane's design really began, planners built the A-10 Thunderbolt II around its main armament, the GAU-8 Avenger. The Avenger is a powerful seven-barrel, hydraulic-driven gatling gun that fires PGU-14/B Incendiary rounds with a depleted uranium armor piercing core or PGU-13/B High Explosive Incendiary rounds, each longer than 11 inches. It fires the projectiles at a rate of 2,100 to 4,200 rounds per minute. The Air Force argues that such a slow-moving and single-role aircraft is not necessary for today's battlefields. The A-10 wasn't built to fly against today's air superiority fighters like China's J-20. The Air Force would much prefer to free up the funds used to maintain 45-year-old fighters like the A-10 to use on its newer aircraft, airframes it believes have a much bigger role in the long run.

It remains in service today because of its popularity with our Marines and Army Infantry.  With its unique cannon, the A-10 is a lethal partner that is unmatched in our current military arsenal.