The A/101 Aviation Association Yearly Report

The A/101 Aviation Association, Inc 2006 Yearly Report

1. Support for the 101^st Airborne Division. Air Assault.

ü Several of our association members became pen pals in support of many of the Comancheros serving in OIF. This program that lasted from fall 2005 through the fall of 2006 when the unit returned home from their deployment

ü A/101 members Chuck Slezak and Vince Reefer served as Aviation Governors for the 101 Airborne Division Association.

ü Many A/101 members paid dues and donated funds to the 101 Airborne Division Association.

ü A 4/101 Avn Regt donated a U.S.A. Flag which was flown on a mission in Iraq and a certificate of appreciation to Monument Elementary School. The Flag and certificate was presented to the school by Richard Bittle and Gil Jones at an assembly at the school. The association also presented the school an “A/101 Aviation Legacy” Print in our appreciation of the schools support for our deployed Comancheros.

ü A/101 Aviation Association members together with the Black Widow and Kingsmen Associations all combined to donate over $4300.00 in order to purchase 790 T-Shits for the every deployed soldier in the 4th Bn serving in Iraq in 2006. These shirts were designed with special color and artwork for each of the seven companies in 4^th Bn. We shipped the T-Shirts to arrive in time for them to be given to the troops of 4/101 as Forth of July presents. The association matched $220.00 in funds to help fund this project. The remaining $302.86 in donated funds after the expenses were all paid on this project was donated to the 4/101 Family Readiness Group to be used to help fund the welcome home party for the troops DEC 2006 at Saber Army Airfield

2. Promote the social welfare of the community.

ü Several of our members volunteered to work on a UH-1H helicopter owned by the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation which is used in their aircraft shows. This aircraft served time with The Comancheros in VN in 1971 and now is a flying memorial to our unit.

ü The Association established a Disaster Relief Fund. Tom and Linda Halligan donated $500.00 to initially establish this fund. The Trustees elected Tom Halligan to Chair the Disaster Relief Committee. A separate association savings account at US Bank was set up for the Disaster Relief Fund.

3. Promote, maintain and develop the A/101 Aviation Association website.

ü Increased our membership by thirty members through the web site roster. Updated our distribution list for association members. Sent association news to our members via email distribution list.

ü Added many photos of A/101 activities both past and present. Added the Division and Battalion newsletters and with other documentation to the web site. Posted photographs and stories from our deployed soldiers in Iraq.

4. Perpetuate the memory and legacy of A/101Aviation.

ü The members of the association elected Richard Bittle and Gil Jones to serve three years terms each as Trustees of the A/101 Aviation Association (2006-2009) at the 2006 annual meeting. The Board of Trustees elected as Association Officers Richard Bittle, President and Gil Jones, Secretary.

ü August 2006 Joe Turner resigned as a trustee of the association. The Board of Trustees voted to appoint Tom Halligan to serve the remainder of Joe Turner term (2005-2008)

ü The A/101 Aviation Association, Inc, contracted with Stark & Stark for General Representation for the association and New Jersey Registered Agent services.

ü The A/101 Aviation Association, Inc, has contracted with Stephanie Thompson for Pro-Bono legal services. Stephanie is the wife of association member Fred Thompson. Stephanie Thompson is a licensed attorney in the State of Oregon.

ü Board of Trustees voted to transfer our association funds to a new account with US Bank. All association checks must now have two signatures to be valid.

5. Perpetuate the memory of Veterans and comfort their survivors.

ü The association boards of trustees selected a Scholarship Steering Committee to research and implement an A/101 Memorial Scholarship Fund. Chairmen Tom Halligan was joined by committee members Jay Tate, Ed Schmelzer, E.G. Jerry Turner and Brad Burkholder. The A/101 Aviation Association Memorial Scholarship Trust documents were drafted, approved by the association trustees for final review by our corporate attorney

ü The final A/101 Aviation Association Memorial Scholarship Trust document was placed on the ballot for approval by the general membership at the annual meeting. The purpose of the A/101 memorial scholarship(s) is to perpetuate the memory of those personnel who, while members of the unit, gave their lives in the service of their country and, to further honor those members who are still unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.

ü The association donated print #56 of the “A/101 Aviation Legacy” painting to the U.S. Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, AL along with a craved frame.

ü The association donated print #72 of the “A/101 Aviation Legacy” painting to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in WA DC. #72 because the war ended for us in 1972.

ü The Trustees voted to donate print #95 of the “A/101 Aviation Legacy” painting to The National Vietnam War Memorial in TX at our annual meeting.

ü The association placed a full page advertisement in the 101^st Airborne Division Association 2006 reunion book in honor of all our fallen A/101 Avn brothers that have paid the ultimate price for freedom.

6. Attend Veterans memorial services.

ü The association purchased ($165.00) an Aviation Wreath for the 101 Monument in Arlington National Cemetery, Memorial Day 2006. Gary Green, Comanchero DG/CE Sept 1969 to April 1970, had the honor of laying the Aviation wreath in honor of our lost Aviation Brotherhood of Screaming Eagles

ü Several members visited and paid their respects at the 4/101 Avn memorial, Ft Campbell, KY

7. Conduct charitable and educational programs.

ü Continued to educate by having visitors visit and learn about our legacy from our award winning web site

ü Assisted in organizing a pen pal support campaign between the children in three sixth grade classes from Monument Elementary School and the deployed Comancheros of A 4-101 Avn. We also assisted Monument Elementary School in a Candy for the Kids of Iraq campaign. The children managed to collect and donate 55 pounds of candy that was packaged in zip lock bags with colored streamers. The candy was sent to the Comanchero troops in Iraq for them to share with the children of Iraq. The A/101 Avn Association paid the cost to ship the candy to Iraq that the children donated.

8. Sponsor social and relational activities for A/101 Aviation Members.

ü 29 members attended the 101 Airborne Association Reunion in Kissimmee Florida in February 2006 Mike & Terri Pavisich and Marty DiOrio hosted the reunion.

ü 13 members attended the VHCMA reunion June 22nd - 25th 2006, at the Marriott Phoenix Airport, Phoenix, AZ

ü 25 members attended the 101 Airborne Association Reunion August 3-4-5th, 2006 at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, Minneapolis South Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ü The Board of Trustees voted to hold our A/101 Aviation Association annual meeting at the Holiday Inn Clarksville, TN next to Fort Campbell, KY May 17^th-20^th 2007.

Wings of the Eagle that have soared in 2006

Thomas M. O’Daniel, Comanchero 13. 1970/71

Membership records:

Total A/101 Avn membership ending 2004 was 424 members

Total A/101 Avn membership ending 2005 was 459 members, an increase of 35 members

Total A/101 Avn membership ending 2006 was 489 members, an increase of 30 members